Wayward Son
by crescent-moon-demon
Summary: -Yaoi- A 12 year-old boy decides to run away from home,fed up with how his parents try to control his life.Only one problem:where to go?He ends up finding Naruto,and the blonde offers to take him in.But what's to happen when his dad comes looking for him?
1. Breaking Out

**_xx-X_BREAKING OUT_X-xx_**

Glasses tinkled as a family of three sat at the long, dark cherry wood table, utensils clacking softly against imported china. The chandelier above their heads illuminated the room, highlighting the warm tones. The rich reds and chocolaty browns made the space much more alive and welcoming, contradicting the atmosphere of the room.

A boy of twelve sat between each of his parents, dark red-head turned down at his plate. He was chewing at his meal mechanically, not really tasting the dinner that the cook had prepared that night. Silence continued for a while, until they were about ready to have desert, when the boy's mother -sitting far down on his right side- spoke up.

"Your father and I have received a copy of your report card. We are not very pleased with your marks this term," the woman said, dabbing softly at the side of her mouth.

The red-haired child only glanced up from his meal, his face set into an emotionless mask that mirrored his parents'.

"You are to correct your folly. No son of ours shall have a 95 average. Understand?," came the cold question.

The pre-teen straightened up in his chair, turning his head completely in his mother's direction, dark eyes gleaming. "Understood," he answered, still gazing at her. He kept his voice even, not giving any hint that he was annoyed with her and her condescending attitude toward him. The woman may have been his mother but she certainly didn't act like one.

"I'm glad to hear. And Madara**(1)**..." The red-headed child, now identified as Madara, clenched his jaw tightly in irritation. How he hated that name that his parents had given him. The name of his great ancestor, who was known throughout every history book. As if anyone cared about some dead man. He sure didn't. Still he focused on his mother, changing his facial expression just slightly so that the green-eyed female would know that he was paying attention.

"... No riding tonight. You will go up to your room and study," The woman said, placing her utensils down so one of the maids could collect her plate. "And there will be no riding until you've brought your grades up." Her tone was final.

Madara nodded his head, casting a small glance at his father as a maid gathered his dinner dishes, biting the inside of his cheek in outrage. He knew that the man would say nothing at all to his wife's punishment, and would agree that his son probably didn't need to partake in frivolous night-time activities. Knowing all this, only made the boy more angry, and he clenched his fists under the table so as to gain some control over his emotions. The red-head would have loved nothing more than to scream at the pompous assholes who'd given him life but he knew that the action would get him nowhere.

His father was always calm and collected, and unbelievably cruel under his 'devil-may-care' visage. It took an awful lot to anger the man, but that just made the impact of his outrage more deadly. He knew that any move hinting at a revolt of authority on his part could trigger the male's unfathomable rage, and he feared getting caught in his father's hate. His mother, though patient and very collected herself, did not hide her emotions like her husband. No, she preferred to show exactly what she was feeling, and would tell you about it too with her sharp tongue. She was always quick to anger whenever someone tried to denounce her and her authority, and the way she expressed her outrage was just as violent as his father's.

No, screaming or cursing them out wouldn't be beneficial to his cause. Madara would have to think of another way to get his point across to his parents, to punish them for their cruel injustice over his life. Picking delicately at his creme brule, the boy got to thinking. He would need a drastic but guaranteed-to-succeed plan. Something they'd never think of him doing, something unpredictable to show that they didn't really have as much control over his life as they thought they did.

* * *

It was a week before he came up with the perfect plan. It was right after his flute lessons, when he was returning to his room for the night, that he stopped at the large bay window of the second floor landing. Outside, the moon was beginning to peak behind the towering forest that circled his parents' estate, covering the world in a wash of silver light. He gazed at the view longingly, ignoring the long winding drive-way and well-manicured front lawns, just wishing he could be out there at that very moment. There was nothing he found better than riding through the dark of night, going fast on a large black steed that he'd named Sharigan, just him and the big beast in the sleeping world.

But he was still unable to ride, and he couldn't possibly sneak down to the stables to sneak the horse out for abit. He really couldn't since the stables were located another mile or so over, and he usually took the limousine down to it because it was far. _'This is stupid,'_ he thought, turning away from the window.

And as we was about to take the first step back to his room, he was suddenly hit with the idea. He smirked at his genius and hurried to his chambers, shutting the door tightly behind him and locking it. Why just think of running down to the stables, when he could actually run-away!?

Madara felt his initial excitement fade away as he reflected on his epiphany. Running away would be the perfect shocker to his parents, but where would he go? _'Well, it doesn't matter. I just need to find some oblivious sucker to take me in for as_ _long as necessary.'_ Again, the smirk was back on the boy's lips and he dashed about his room, grabbing his school bag.

He would need clothes, one or two sets were fine (maybe three), and some cash. Cash was easy to get, he had plenty in his school outfit's pocket and in dire situations he had his credit card. Not that he would really want to use it, because it would only make him traceable if he were to make a transaction. So, he already had the two essential things one needed, but what else should he bring? Dare he take anything more with him?

The red-head sat on his bed, frowning thoughtfully as he gazed about his room. There was nothing in it that he really wanted or cared for, and wouldn't bother him one bit if he left it behind. "This can't possibly be all I'm taking. I need to have something more!," he whispered harshly to himself. Most runaways always took at least one or two items of sentimental value, something that meant the world to them. If he was going to make it appear that he had run away, he'd need something he could pass of as being special to him for the poor idiot he was going to convince on housing him.

Black eyes fell to the small case of his flute, and Madara grinned triumphantly. The flute was an annoying instrument, but of all his items it was the most preferred. It would be simple to act as if the steel tube was his most sentimental possession. Getting to his feet, the pre-teen quickly stripped off his clothes and threw some more casual ones on. He had to appear that he came from a middle-class family lest someone try to kidnap him for ransom because he was wearing fine clothing. Not that anybody would be able to do that. Madara had been put through many self-defense and martial arts classes, especially Judo classes, when he was a child. Being the son of a National icon and millionaire meant there were a lot of people out to snatch him from his crib.

He could say that he was proud of his combat skills, and it was the only thing that the boy was grateful to have come out of his privileged lifestyle. Moving to his desk, the red-head wrote a quick note, ripping the paper out of his notebook. Madara put the note right on the center of his desk, placed so someone could find it easily, obsidian orbs taking in the entire expanse of his desk.

The boy's gaze locked on a single framed picture, pale fingers reaching up and pulling the image toward him. It was a picture of his uncle, the man positioned unsmiling at the camera but there was a small twinkle of amusement in his eyes. For some reason he still couldn't quite understand, his father hated his uncle, and was quite adamant about not ever seeing the man. Which would explain why the pre-teen's uncle hadn't even stepped foot in their house. Madara cradled the portrait, returning back to his bed. Okay, so maybe he had found a couple more items to bring along (including the notebook and pen) but that was alright.

Slinging his bag over his shoulders, he found it to be still light enough for him to carry for a long distance. That was good. Smirking, the child left his room, and snuck downstairs. People were already asleep or going to sleep by now, so there was noone to get in his way. Hurrying, he made his way to the kitchen's side door, the same one used by the kitchen staff for whenever they came and went. The boy left the house without a glitch, and dashed into the property's forests. If he walked all night at a quick but steady pace, he'd reached the city by dawn.

Lips fixed in a determined smirk, Madara started into a fast walk, weaving through the dark forest with animalistic ease; heading toward the city.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was outside, at two o'clock in the afternoon, getting some groceries for home shortly after getting off his shift at work. The sun was out, the sky was blue and the twenty-five year old man couldn't be happier. Today was a good day, and nothing could ruin it for him. Apparently the blonde was being just a little optimistic, because as soon as the kid ran into him, his day was ruined.

"Woah!," Naruto cried, as a small weight shot out of the alley he was passing, bulldozing right into his side. The blue-eyed male grabbed the brick wall to regain his balance before he fell over, watching as a blood-red headful of slightly long, spiky hair pulled away from his side and took off down the street.

The blonde's initial response was to stare at the kid, before his hand removed itself from the wall and made its way to the pocket of his orange sweater. Tan fingers wormed through the pocket, closing around nothing. "Shit!," Naruto cursed, as his mind suddenly made the final connections. Holding the bag of groceries securely in his left arm, the blonde tore after the kid, dodging past people and apologizing as he went.

"Umph! O-oh, sorry! Hey! Y-yo!! Give back my wallet, thief!" The pre-teen hesitated for a moment on the street corner, before turning around the corner. The Uzumaki growled frustratingly at the back of his throat, pushing his legs to move faster, nearly skidding into traffic as he dashed around the corner. _'Come on, come on... dammit!!'_

The kid was gone, nowhere to be found on the street. Naruto paused on the sidewalk, slightly hunched over as he worked to catch his breath and stop the thumping in his ears so he could properly think. The kid couldn't have gotten too far, so he still had to be around here. The blonde straightened up and slowly walked down the street. He paused at the entrance of another alley, cerulean orbs glancing down into the dirty back street.

The golden-haired male grinned broadly before stepping into the alley. There was a large stack of crates on one side of the alley, a large rust covered green dumpster, and a couple of black garbage bags piled on the opposite wall. Naruto had to hold back the bitter laugh that threatened to spill from his lips. His childhood experience easily told him that the kid was here. Whistling a happy-go-lucky tune, the blonde calmly strode to the dumpster, lifting the lid up and peering inside.

"Hey, you going to come out now? I promise not to do anything, I just want my wallet back, please."

A torn bag of molding lettuce shifted, and the red-headed kid came up out of the filth. "And what if I don't believe you?," the boy questioned, black eyes glaring coldly up at the blonde.

Naruto shrugged. "I guess we've got a problem then," he replied.

* * *

Madara had it lucky. He'd managed to survive a week on the city streets, and had yet to be spotted by anyone that could leak information back to his parents about his whereabouts. He'd managed to earn his place, and showed some of the older teens that he wasn't to be confronted. And though it was a not really part of the plan... he was having fun being a street kid. There was a sort of adrenaline rush that came from being on your own, always having your neck held out in danger's way. Absolutely _perfect_.

But then he had to run out of money, and he had thought about stealing some food but the risk was too great. He wasn't ready to go back to his parents, and even he knew he couldn't fight off a dozen or so trained officers. After thinking about it for a bit, he figured that stealing a person's wallet would be much more efficient and was likely to let him get away. Just as he was contemplating who should be his first victim, his dark eyes spotted the blonde man walking down the street, and instantly knew that he was the one.

What he didn't account for was the guy actually finding him. Just how could the man know exactly where he was? It was unbelievable. Frowning, Madara sat up in the garbage, glaring up at the man. "And what if I don't believe you?," he'd asked. He would of thought the blonde was going to freak out, or at least would have made some connection to his appearance, but no such reaction came from the older male.

Instead the man just shrugged, looking honestly puzzled. "I guess we've got a problem then." The red-head blinked uncertainly at the blonde, before his mind went into over-drive. If this man really didn't know who he was, and wasn't going to take any aggressive action against him, then maybe... Maybe he'd be the perfect person to steal some shelter from.

The blood-haired child weighed his options wisely, thinking in every possible outcome and realized that he really didn't have much choice. He needed to get food, and now that his image was on broadcasts everywhere, he wouldn't be able to get any without someone recognizing his face. _'Time to play the card.'_

Madara turned off his glare, and shyly cast his eyes to the floor. "P-please... don't turn me in. I-i... I don't wa-want to go back _there_...," the boy let his sentence trail off, grinning wickedly on the inside as he watched the blonde perk at his words. _'This is too easy...'_

"Hey...hey, I won't turn you in. I swear it." Naruto bent down a little, looking the kid straight in the eyes. The black eyes were shining with fresh tears. "C-come on, I promise I won't go to the cops. No crying, alright?"

The blonde noted that the child's eyes, though black, had a red sheen to them. They looked like pools of black blood. Madara wiped shakingly at his eyes, acting as if he was close to sobs. "A-alright...," he whispered back.

The Uzumaki nodded his head, smiling sadly at the boy. The child was filthy, covered head to toe in grime. There were a couple bruises here and there, and there was a look of fear now placed on the kid's features. Naruto nibbled at his bottom lip, trying to make a decision. He didn't want to leave the kid out here alone, he knew just what the streets were like. But he couldn't take the kid home... could he?

A little voice inside his head argued their point, and the blonde's resolve crumbled. "Um... h-how 'bout if you stay with me...instead? The streets are no place for a kid."

The red-head looked up, surprise written across the dirt-streaked face. "Y-you want me to c-come to your house...?," he stuttered. The shock was replaced with terror. "Wh-why?!"

Naruto paled and tried to calm the child down before he got hysterical. "I-i won't do anything I swear! I-if it makes you feel better, you can stay here. But I promise not to turn you in."

Madara concentrated on making his facial features appear relaxed but kept in a look of wary thoughtfulness. Inside though, he was smirking in triumph. Getting a shelter supplied by an idiot appeared easier than he had first thought. Now for the final touches... The red-head slowly nodded his head, keeping a remnant of fear still in his obsidian eyes. "O-ok," he replied.

The Uzumaki brightened immediately, a smile spreading across his face. "I'll do my best!," he chirped cheerily. The pre-teen stared strangely at the grinning man, before a blush made its way across his pale cheeks. Madara found his heart beating crazily and cursed himself for his rampant organ. Still the boy couldn't help but think that the pink dusting across cheeks adorned with three thin scars each (so strange, they looked like whiskers) and the blue eyes that twinkled merrily were really pretty. Really, _really_ pretty.

Letting himself be helped out of the dumpster after fishing his bag out of the rubbish, and agreeing to wear the man's orange sweater, the red-head trailed after the blonde male. The sweater's hoodie was pulled over his forehead, covering his hair, black eyes still focused on the man he'd agreed to go with. _'Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all...'_

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you my name," the golden-haired man said, as they crossed the street. Madara's head snapped up at that, an eyebrow cocked at the older male in question. The blonde grinned as he looked down at the pre-teen. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

The red-head blinked, letting a small smirk cross his lips before erasing it. "Kyuubi**(2)**," he replied. He was rewarded with another smile.

**C.M.D: Yes, I have yet again written another fanfic without first finishing the other ones. I can't help it, i'm naturally creative and I hate losing ideas because I don't write them down. So... another story is created!  
(1)Madara... I used this because I couldn't think of a good name, and I know most prestigous families name their kids after their ancestors. Saying that... I wonder if you can figure out who the boy's parents are.  
(2)Kyuubi... there is another reason for that name as well. No the kid didn't make it up, it's actually his middle name. Many people don't know his middle name, so he figured it was safe to use it. Now all you need is the last name, and you have the kid's entire identity.  
Review!**


	2. Finding Shelter

**C.M.D:Umm... I don't think I mentioned, but this is yaoi. It says it now in the fic's summary, but for people who read the old summary, I'm telling you that this** **_is_ a yaoi story. I'm sorry for the first few readers who don't enjoy reading yaoi.  
Thank you for reviewing: RessurectedAnge, skyglazingMaro, Mink-chan15aftermathLunacom1, MySolitude, cluelessninja65.  
On another note: you guys are good! I mean, I know it was simple to guess Kyuubi's parents- I did make it as obvious as possible afterall. But you know I got a guess that his mother was Karin. I'm sorry to say, though a wonderful guess, Karin's not his mother. Does she even have red hair? I thought it was black... w.e, go on with the story now.**

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* * *

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xx-XFinding ShelterX-xx

Welcome to my Home!!"

Madara -now going by his middle name Kyuubi- looked at the blonde that had taken him in, eyebrow cocked in question. Naruto was waving his arms about excitedly, blue eyes sparkling as he pointed out all the items in his apartment. An apartment that hardly had anything in it, Kyuubi might add. _'Perhaps I should have done some sort of medical_ _background check first...,'_ the red-head thought, following after the strangely happy blonde.

They came to a stop, not even have really walked far, at a door which Naruto promptly opened revealing a small bedroom. "This is my room... umm, where I sleep. And you'll sleep...," The golden-haired male trailed off, looking around him. Kyuubi copied him, and felt nearly foolish for doing so. He'd seen the place during the Uzumaki's ecstatic tour, and he could easily guess that this place was a little too small to have a guest room. Which meant someone was sleeping on the couch.

Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his neck in embarrasment. "Well, I guess I'll need to rethink this, huh?" The red-headed child fixed him with a look that clearly said _'You_ _think?'_, making the blonde blush. Clearing his throat, the man stepped into his bedroom, studying the place thoughfully. Kyuubi watched him silently, wondering what would happen next. They remained quiet for such a length of time, that when Naruto slapped his fist into his palm, the sudden noise scared the pale boy. "Alright! This is what I'll do: Kyuubi," the blonde turned around to look at the blood-haired pre-teen, smiling kindly. "You get to have my room, and I'll sleep on the pull-out couch. Fair?"

Kyuubi didn't think that the deal was very fair, after all he was kicking the man who paid the rent out of his own bedroom to sleep on a lumpy couch. _'Whatever...'_ But he nodded his head in consent anyways, staring at the wall so he wouldn't have to look at the older male's dazzling smile. The red-head was snapped out of his thoughts when there was a tug on his arm, snapping his head back front so fast it was amazing he didn't get whiplash, his coal eyes narrowed in a heated glare. His obsidian orbs were met by sapphire ones, that blinked in surprise before crinkling into a smile. "There's nothing to worry about, Kyuubi. I was just going to help you put your things away," Naruto said.

The blood-haired pre-teen looked down at his hands, noticing the man's tan hand was holding onto his bag's strap, the bronze thumb achingly close to his own pale one. Blushing, the boy ripped his bag away from the Uzumaki's hold; out of clear, unconscious thought. Realizing what he did, but not willing to admit he reacted unneccessarily, Kyuubi strode over to the blonde's bed; upending his bag's contents onto the peach-orange sheets. "I can do it myself," the child muttered.

Naruto walked over to the bed's other side, looking down at the items curiously. "T-that's alright...," the blonde replied, feeling a little awkward. "I shouldn't have touched your things without permission. Sorry." Black eyes wound their way up to the suddenly shy man, eyebrows crinkled in surprise. Why was this guy apologizing? He was the one that had freaked out when the guy had touched his bag... Kyuubi mentally sighed, shaking his head just slightly so that Naruto wouldn't notice. Uzumaki was just too strange of a character to figure out and doing so would only give him headaches, the red-head concluded.

The child picked up his clothes, spotting a laundry hamper and tossing the articles in it. They would need to be washed, along with the clothes he was wearing at the moment. Kyuubi returned to the bed, and picked up his pen and notebook, placing them on the top of the nightstand. Next, he moved his flute case to the floor, kicking it just under the bed. Naruto, who had been watching the blood-haired boy the entire time, reached down and picked up a single-framed photo that was sitting all by itself on the bed. Blue eyes studied the stoic raven who was frowning up at him. "Hey, who's this?," the blonde asked.

Kyuubi turned to see what the man was talking about, realizing it was his picture that was held in tan hands. Scowling, the child reached over the bed and pulled the portrait out of the Uzumaki's hands, before placing it on the nightstand as well. "It's my uncle," the boy replied, staring at the dark-haired man in the photo. Naruto noticed the almost sad look that shined in coal orbs, his own eyes becoming dull.

"You must care for him very much."

Kyuubi turned his head toward the blonde, confusion passing through his eyes fleetingly before fading. "Yeah...," came the low reply. Naruto nodded, but didn't say anything more. Getting up, the blonde walked over to his small closet, reaching inside the tiny thing and pulling out some clothes.

"It's a good thing that I kept some of my clothes from when I was younger, huh?" The red-headed child brought his attention to the golden-haired man, trailing after him as the older male left the room. Their short journey led them to the bathroom, where Naruto put the clothes he rummaged out of the closet onto the counter. "Here's some clothes so you can clean up. I'm sure you want to get out of your dirty ones, right?" The Uzumaki didn't give Kyuubi time to respond. "You can take a shower, or a bath. Whichever one you prefer, and get changed into some fresh clothes. Meanwhile, I'll make something to eat."

The pre-teen nodded his head, watching disinterestingly as Naruto smiled back then left the room, shutting the door behind him. Shucking off his filthy clothes, Kyuubi turned the shower on, before getting under the warm spray. Scrubbing his hair, the boy contemplated his curteous host. _'He's a really big idiot...'_

* * *

Dinner with Naruto was a different experience for him. Raised in a tense environment, where meal time was a quiet affair and a chance for his parents -who he didn't see any other time of the day- to assess him, dinner in the Uzumaki home came as a shocker to Kyuubi. The blonde had set everything first onto the table, before either of them sat down. Then he'd gone and heaped spoonfuls of the lopsided lasagne and sauteed green beans, which he'd cooked all by himself, on the red-head's plate.

"Make sure to eat it all, okay? I know there's not much nutritional food available out on the streets, and a growing boy needs to eat proper," Naruto said, leaning over the table and putting the plate down in front of Kyuubi.

"And what if I'm not hungry?," the bood-haired child retorted, feeling slightly annoyed that the Uzumaki was practically ordering him to eat.

The blonde blinked at him, before his lips curved in a sardonic smile. "Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?"

Kyuubi made to respond, when he felt a painful jab in his stomach that cut off what he was about to say. A growl followed the jab, and he realized in horror that the smell of the meal was making him start to drool. Glaring at the food, because he didn't dare look at Naruto at the moment, the pre-teen grabbed his fork and quickly scooped some green beans into his waiting mouth, crunching them to mulch in his anger before swallowing. Naruto just chuckled quietly, digging into his own meal.

"How old are you, Kyuubi?," The Uzumaki asked, reaching for his glass.

Kyuubi looked at the adult through his bangs, swallowing his own mouthful before replying. "I'm twelve, and in the tenth grade," he added, knowing that what grade he was in would be the next question.

"Wow...," Naruto whistled. "You must be very bright if you're already in the tenth grade."

Kyuubi shrugged, forking some more of the lasagne. "Not really. My father was already in the eleventh grade by the time he was my age."

The blonde stared at him increduously, before the eyes darkened into a look the pre-teen hadn't seen before. "You must have been under a lot of pressure, huh?," Naruto stated. The kid remained silent, gazing at his dinner. He didn't know what to say in response.

"Naruto... did you make this yourself?," Kyuubi finally said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. The Uzumaki blinked once, twice before grinning broadly.

"Yep! I cooked it all by myself, from scratch too! Do you like it?"

The blood-headed male smirked at the obvious over-enthuisiastic reaction from the older man. "Yeah. It was fine."

Naruto seemed to deflate a little bit at that. "Fine, it was only fine? Ah, c'mon Kyuubi. Don't be so mean," the blonde whined.

Kyuubi felt his temple throb at the childish response, and turned back to his meal, ignoring Naruto. _'Stupid, foolish, childish idiot...'_

* * *

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?," Naruto asked as he moved about the small room, grabbing a handful of things. Kyuubi looked over at the wandering blonde, shaking his head and getting into the bed.

"It's sleeping. How difficult can it be?," the red-head asked sarcastically.

The blonde shrugged, shutting his dresser drawer and placing his things on top of it. "I was just thinking... you might have trouble sleeping in a new place. I now I did when I was your age," he confessed.

The pre-teen stared at Naruto, not responding. He gripped the bed sheets, falling back against the pillows soundlessly.

"Well... I guess I'll leave now," Naruto spoke up. Kyuubi glanced at him before closing his eyes.

The blue-eyed male continued to look at the child, shifting on his feet as he rolled options over in his head before making a decision. The blood-haired child snapped his eyes open when he heard shuffling heading towards him, seeing the Uzumaki leaning over his bedside. "Sorry," Naruto apologized, smiling. "It just gets kinda cold at night. You want to make sure you're wrapped up, nice and warm."

Kyuubi remained silent as the blonde grabbed the blankets, pulling them up to his chin, and tucking him in snuggly. He felt a blush work its way onto his cheeks, his heart racing again at their close proximity. "There," Naruto announced, pulling away. "All done. G'night Kyuubi."

The pre-teen nodded in acknowldgement, his whole body tingling when the blonde reached over and patted his head warmly before turning to leave. His blood-black eyes watched the man's form as he walked to the doorway, switching the light off and shutting the door. In the darkness, he rolled onto his side, his thoughts whirring inside his head. _'What's going on?'_

* * *

A man sat in a plush leather chair in his private office, fingers tapping against his desk in irritation. It had been just over a week now, and there was still no news about his son. There was a click and the office door was opened, a grey-haired man entering the room.

"Has there been any news?," the man sitting asked the newcomer.

The grey-haired man sighed, scratching at bandana wrapped around the lower half of his face. "Uchiha, I told you. I'm no longer directly linked to the police force anymore. You'd be better off calling Ibiki than me."

The raven turned his chair to the side, folding his hands in front of his face. "I haven't forgotten it, Kakashi. But I only trust you to tell me all the facts. I hate when things are kept from me. Especially when they involve my son, Madara," he stated.

Kakashi put his hands into his pockets, resting against the wall. "Well, lucky for you, Genma's always willing to share any information with me," he replied.

"Get to the point," the dark-haired man snapped. "Is there any news?"

"No," Kakashi answered, concern highlighting his tone. "There's been none at all. No ransoms, no rumors, no leads."

The younger male didn't respond. The ex-cop stayed quiet as well. After a minute, he moved. "I guess I'll leave now," he said. "See ya, Uchiha."

He turned in the doorway, halting to press his hands over his ears when Mrs. Uchiha yelled through the house. "SASUKE!!"

"I see Sakura hasn't lost her touch," Kakashi drawled, looking back into the office. "I'm really going to get out of here then, before she sees me."

"Wait Hatake," Sasuke commanded, getting to his feet. The raven grabbed his suit jacket hanging off of a coat rack, striding to the door. "I need to go for a walk. Let's go."

Kakashi sighed, trailing after the Uchiha. "I'm going to need a drink then. And you're paying for it."

Sasuke nodded. "I'll pay for both our drinks."

**C.M.D: There you go. The identity of Kyuubi's parents revealed.  
Umm... updates on this fic will be slow-going, because this fic work as a 'as-it-comes-along' storyline. So pretty much, whenever I get an idea for the next chapter, that's when there'll be an update.  
But review anyways, please! I love getting comments.**


	3. A Day In The Life Of

**C.M.D: Alright, here it is! The third chapter. Thanks to everyone whose read it so far, and for those too, who reviewed. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

**_xx-X_ A Day In The Life Of... _X-xx_**

It was a very bustling morning the next day. Kyuubi woke up to the small bangs of pots and pans, sizzling and the smell of cooking meat reaching him where he lay. Groggily, the child got out of bed, doing a double-take when he looked at the alarm. It was past eight on a weekday! Kyuubi stared, shell-shocked, at the alarm; his lips pulling into a frown. He'd never slept in so late before in his life. Not even on weekends.

'_Why the hell didn't I wake up earlier?,'_ he pondered, scowling at the bed as if it were to blame. And it probably was too. Shaking his head (it was pointless to be upset now), the Uchiha turned and walked out of the room.

Naruto was scuttling about the kitchen, trying to handle several different things at once. Kyuubi just stood in the doorway, amused that the blonde hadn't managed to cause an accident. Yet…. As if sensing the smirk the pre-teen was sporting, Naruto turned around and smiled at the younger male. "G'morning!," he man greeted, grabbing a pan off the burner and striding to the kitchen table.

Things were already set, Kyuubi noticed, but for only one person. The blood-haired boy's brow furrowed in confusion at that. The Uzumaki though didn't notice and continued on scoping a fried egg and bacon onto the plate, beside toast. He waited until the blonde spun away to the sink, before Kyuubi walked into the kitchen, taking his seat at the table.

Obsidian eyes followed Naruto as he danced about the kitchen: turning off burners, putting food back into the fridge and pouring a cup of coffee. "Alright," Naruto said, after taking a swig of caffeine, "I've got to get to work."

"What do you do exactly?," Kyuubi asked. He couldn't help but be just a little curious. Naruto drank down the rest of his coffee, licking his lips and placing the mug in the sink when he was done.

"I own a bookstore," he answered, dashing out of the kitchen. "It's part of my job to open up," he yelled from the entryway. The Uchiha blinked, then rolled his eyes. The blonde could easily have given the task of opening up to one of his employees, but telling the man that would be pointless. Kyuubi already knew how strange Uzumaki was.

The pre-teen picked up a piece of bacon, chewing on the meat. He'd never had it before, thought he knew what it was. It tasted alright in his opinion. Naruto strode back into the room, slipping his arm into the sleeves of his coat. Kyuubi winced, seeing that the jacket was a glaring orange colour, made brighter by the strips of black on the sides.

"I'll be back later tonight, so make yourself at home, ok? There's tv, movies, some games… do whatever," the man said, now ruffling through his pockets. "I'm going to lock the door, so I'll need you to stay inside for today. You can make yourself whatever you want to eat, when you get hungry. There's food in the fridge, so go at it. Just don't burn my house down," Naruto added.

He paused, pulling his keys out of his pocket, smiling; then putting them back. "So… I'll see you tonight then," the Uzumaki finished. He just stood there, patiently, smiling at the boy. Kyuubi slowly nodded his head, figuring that it was what the man was waiting for. Unsurprisingly, it was.

Naruto grinned brightly (Kyuubi felt his cheeks burn yet again), bending down and picking up a shoulder bag that the blood-headed child never noticed. The blonde slung it over his head, then waved at the pre-teen. "Bye."

Kyuubi raised his hand just a little at the man's retreating form, listening as the door opened then closed, the lock turning in place. Almost immediately, silence settled over the apartment. The kid ignored it as he ate, finishing up and placing his dishes in the sink with the rest. He went back to the bedroom, dug out another outfit from the closet and took another shower.

While towel-drying his hair, Kyuubi realized that he didn't have a toothbrush –hadn't had one since he ran away. Breathing into his palm, thedark red-head wrinkled his nose in disgust at the stench. He'd need to ask Naruto for a toothbrush, but for now there was nothing he could do about his bad breath.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Kyuubi finally noticed how quiet it was. In his own house, the silence was natural, but here it was awkward. Naruto was just too much of a lively person to have a quiet apartment. Blushing at the fact that he even bothered to notice things like that, the pre-teen stalked into the living room, flopping onto the couch. He searched for the remote, locating it between two cushions, and turned the tv on. He spent fifteen minutes channel surfing –an odd experience for him- finding nothing on to watch.

'_Daytime television is crap,'_ he concluded. He was actually missing being in school...

"The search for Uchiha Madara continues on." Kyuubi's finger froze, his eyes flickering to the television. He'd begun to space out while looking for something to watch, when the voice of a news announcer brought him back to reality. A pretty blonde woman on the screen looked grim as she spoke. "It's been nearly two weeks now since Madara's disappearance. And still there is no sign of the twelve year old anywhere. The police force has added another team to the investigation, but the results have remained the same so far. We're breaking off for a moment to a live conference, where Uchiha Sasuke and his wife are making pleas to the public."

The woman dropped her eyes from the prompter, before the scene changed. Now the television was showing a small rectangular room. Journalists and photographers crowded the front as much as possible, cameras going off in large flashes. The news camera zoomed in on the front of the room, where a platform was set up, just in time to show a black-haired man and pink-haired woman step up to the podium. His mother and father.

Kyuubi felt his jaw tighten, but did not change the channel. Sakura was the first to speak. "N-nothing...nothing like this has ever happened to us before," she stuttered slightly. "I-it's every parents' worst nightmare, for their son or daughter to just suddenly be _gone. _Stolen! I-I had thought that i-if I protected him... my sweet baby would be alright," Sakura whimpered pitifully. His mother placed a small hand against her trembling lips. The perfect picture of a distraught woman trying to appear strong. The blood-haired child rolled his eyes.

It was Sasuke's turn to speak now. The raven stepped forward, placing a _'comforting' _hand on Sakura's opposite shoulder. "The police are working diligently, night and day. I trust them to find my son, but it can't be done without the public's help. _Your_ help. If anyone has any information, contact the police. The phone lines are always open. Please, I only want Madara back home, safe and sound," the raven finished, monotonously.

Sakura looked out over the crowd, a couple tears tracking down her cheeks. "Madara, don't worry sweetheart! Mommy loves you!! We'll get you back soon okay? We'll save you!," the pinkette yelled. Immediately after, she dropped her head into her hands, sobbing loudly. Sasuke took hold of her shaking shoulders and led them out of the room. The Chief of police stepped up next, opening his mouth to make his own speech, but Kyuubi never did hear what the man was going to say.

He switched the channel over, getting up and approaching the t.v stand. "Typical," he muttered to himself. "It's always a performance with them." The pre-teen was talking about his parents, of course. Watching as his mom and dad put on a front before thousands of viewers, made him seethe. They knew he hadn't disappeared. He'd left a note, specifically telling them that he was running away. "They just want people to think I was kidnaped, so that everyone will continue to look for me. But I won't... I won't be found," Kyuubi growled out, "I'm never going back home."

'_But... if Naruto sees the news...' _The Uchiha felt a strange sinking in his gut. If the Uzumaki realized who he was, then he would be obligated to return Kyuubi to his parents. And... the blood-headed child didn't think he'd have the heart to fight the blonde off, even if it meant going back to that prison of a house.

Sighing, Kyuubi focused on the shelves of movies before him. He raised an eyebrow at the titles, not surprised at some of the childish ratings. "He's such a moron, yet he owns his own business," the kid mumbled, pulling a dvd off the shelve. He looked the movie over, shrugging. "Could be worse..."

He squatted down, popping **Transformers** into the Dvd player, before returning to the couch.

* * *

The sun was just starting to set, when there was a jingle of keys and the sound a lock turning. Kyuubi struggled to get to his feet, wincing in pain as he did so. His legs had fallen asleep and were all stiff from him lying on the couch all day. Grumbling a little, he made his way to the front door just as it opened.

Naruto stepped inside, toeing off his sneakers, grinning when he saw the boy. "Hey! How was your day?," he asked. The pre-teen noticed the bags hanging off the blonde's arms; one was take-out, the other few had different store logos on them.

"Fine," Kyuubi answered, striding forward. The Uzumaki had entered the kitchen now, setting the bags onto the floor and tossing his keys onto the table.

"That's good to hear," Naruto replied. "If it were me, I'd probably die of boredom." Kyuubi could actually see that happening. He was nearly tempted to pass out earlier from lack of things to do. The older male bent down, picking up the take-out and placing it on the table. "Tonight's dinner is ramen!," the blonde chirped, whistling merrily as he pulled three large bowls out of the bag.

The dark red-head wrinkled his nose at the mention of the meal, having heard before how improper the noodles were as a dish. But Naruto didn't seem to care. He was happily setting the table, rambling on about the awesomeness of ramen. When he was done, he pulled his jacket off and sat down at the table. "C'mon, Kyuubi. Whatcha waiting for? Dig in!"

Kyuubi walked to his seat, sitting down and hesitantly pulling a ramen bowl toward him. He looked up, but the Uzumaki was already stuffing his face. Figuring it was better than going hungry, the Uchiha picked up his chopsticks, removing the top of his bowl. He was hit with a wave of steam, the scent of miso drifting past his nose. So far he didn't want to gag. That was good.

The pre-teen picked up some noodles, blowing on them lightly to cool them down before popping them in his mouth. His eyes widened immediately, teeth chomping then swallowing. That... that had been pretty good! So maybe it wasn't a well-done sirloin steak with butter cream sauce, but it was a thousand times better than his father had told him it was.

His thoughts came to a crashing halt right then and there. His dad had told him all these negative things about ramen... but they turned out not to be true. _'I wonder what else_ _isn't true,'_ Kyuubi pondered. Going in for another bite, the child smiled to himself. Here in Naruto's home, was the perfect opportunity for him to do all the things his parents had forbade him from doing.

He could eat whatever he wants, do whatever he wants, say whatever he wants. The full realization of how much freedom he had gained hit him. And the blood-haired boy couldn't be happier.

"Hey, you're smiling."

Kyuubi swallowed sharply at the sudden comment, looking up at Naruto coolly. The blonde had stopped eating, staring at him. "Eh? Why'd you stop smiling?," Naruto asked, disappointedly. "You look nice when you smile."

The pre-teen felt his heart jolt in his chest, his cheeks beginning to burn. Deciding to ignore the man, he looked into his bowl, shoveling ramen into his mouth. Naruto blinked, confused, at the child.

"Well, anyways," the Uzumaki said. "I've got a surprise for you!"

There was the ruffling of bags, and risking it, Kyuubi looked back up. The blonde had picked up the other bags, and were holding them out to him. Cautiously, a pale hand reached out and took the bags, placing them in his lap.

"I wasn't really sure what you might want or need, so I decided to just go with the basics of things. I can always go back later and get more if necessary," Naruto commented, watching as the Uchiha looked into the bags.

There was a strange feeling in his chest, and Kyuubi couldn't help but feel that Naruto was an idiot. Inside one bag was socks and underwear, ranging in color from red to black. In the second was two pair of dark navy jeans, and one pink t-shirt and one black sweater. In the last bag was a bunch of items: deodorant, brush, toothbrush, a new notebook, a pack of pens, sweat bands, and a couple bandanas.

A really big idiot...with too big a heart. Glancing up, Kyuubi saw that the blonde was looking at him expectantly. Letting a small smile worm its way on his face, the younger male faced the man. "Thanks," he said, grateful.

Naruto beamed brightly. "No problem."

**C.M.D: Remember to review!!**


	4. A breath of Fresh Air

**C.M.D: Thanks for reviewing: My Solitude, cluelessninja65, skyglazingMaro, hanakisa, NaTsUkO-ChAn, blugirlami21. **

**xx-X A Breath Of Fresh Air X-xx**

Sasuke typed away at his laptop, a scowl fixed on his beautiful face. The phone on his desk flashed red, notifying him that there was a call waiting to be answered, but Sasuke left it alone. If it was a truly urgent or important call then the person would leave a message. In either case, the raven wasn't one to answer phones, especially today of all days. It was a bad day when Sasuke had to actually go to his office in his company, instead of staying back at home where things were quiet.

If Sasuke was one to point fingers, then he'd blame Sakura for driving him out of his comfortable office. Ever since Madara's disappearance, the woman had become unbearable. Not that his _lovely_ wife wasn't unbearable to begin with (thank god he found a female that was slightly controlled and not a moronic fan) but her temper had been through the roof non-stop since that night. A small (very small), childish part of Sasuke pouted at the fact that Madara had been the one to think of running away first. Walking away from Sakura and his home, never to return, seemed very appealing.

The raven huffed quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had enough to deal with at the moment, and no time to cater to idiotic fantasies. Anger smoldered inside the Uchiha as he remembered that the main cause of his situation for the past month: his juvenile son, Madara. There was a knock at the door, and Sasuke glared at it. People had been coming into his office constantly this morning, offering their apologies, condolences and such. It was only because he locked his door, that Sasuke was able to get some semblance of peace. If you were to ignore the knocking that is.

The dark-haired man grabbed hold of the phone, lifting the receiver up to his face. "I don't want to be bothered anymore for the rest of the day," he said into the phone, not giving his secretary a chance to speak or identify who he was. If the stupid woman didn't realize who was calling as soon as she picked up, then she didn't really deserve this job, now did she?

"S-sir?," came back her puzzled reply.

"I have much to do," Sasuke explained simply. "Keep them away from my door. Take any messages and forward them later to my email." And he hung up, not saying goodbye either. The knocker at his door left, and the man slumped back into his chair. Hopefully that would be the last time he'd be bugged today. Sasuke went back to work, but twenty minutes later his phone was ringing again.

The Uchiha turned the ringer off, so he could work without the shrill ringing breaking his concentration. That plan went well enough for a few more minutes, until it was his cell that began to ring. Sasuke sighed, reaching across his desk and scooping the Razor up. He was tempted to chuck the thing at the wall, but if it broke, Sasuke would have to replace it and then spend an hour or so transferring all of his contact info over. He really didn't want more work on top of everything else he had to do.

Coal eyes flashed across the ID screen, and satisfied that at least it wasn't his wife that was calling; Sasuke flipped the phone open and pressed it against his ear. "Just what the hell do you want?," he demanded.

"Good afternoon to you too, Uchiha," was his answer. "You are a very hard man to get in contact with."

"As I should be," Sasuke grumbled in response. "I asked you a question, Hyuuga."

The man on the other line paused for a moment, no doubt smirking in amusement. "What are you doing this weekend, Sasuke?"

"Looking for my _son_."

"No need to snap, Sasuke," the voice said flatly.

Sasuke gripped the forearm of his chair tightly. "I see you're not going to apologize or soothe me with hollow words about my son's disappearance."

Silence. The Hyuuga had to be sighing mentally. "I don't need to. I'm sure everyone's been showering you with sympathies, and we both know how much you despise pity," the man answered. Sasuke gritted his teeth tightly, hissing slightly at the reference to his deceased parents.

"Get to your point, Neji," he bit out, "Before I hang up and destroy your reputation."

"I just wanted to invite you to a Book showing. I've picked out a nice, quiet shop to hold a celebration for my new book that's about released. VIP personnel only," Neji informed the raven. "And don't say that you already have other plans, Uchiha. I know very well that you don't, so I want you there. Understand me?"

"Don't tell me what I will and won't do," Sasuke growled into the phone. He hated when people tried to boss him around, especially the Hyuuga. Formal engagements like this book showing weren't his thing, but keeping busy this weekend and away from Sakura was his goal. "I will go," he added.

"I'll email you the location," Neji replied. "Farewell." The line went dead, and Sasuke closed his phone shut. He turned his black eyes back to his laptop. The scowl returned, fiercer this time and the raven sighed in irritation. So much for getting work done today. Sasuke closed his laptop, leaning back in his chair. For the rest of the afternoon he would sit there in silence, brooding about his son, and the wife that waited for him back home.

* * *

Kyuubi marched about the empty house, bored once again. He had flipped through the television several hundred times (pointless considering he knew that there would be nothing of interest on), he'd watched nearly all of the movies (except for the few that he refused to even put on, like the copy of Beauty and the Beast that was tucked away into the very corner of the shelf) and there wasn't much for the boy to occupy himself with. The red-head frowned, stepping to the front door, spinning on his heel and walking into the kitchen for the fiftieth time that afternoon.

If he didn't do something soon he was going to lose it! On his belt loop, a set of keys jangled merrily with the male's stomping. The two keys hung from a blue metal clip, a cheeky fox grinning up at him from its keychain. Naruto had given Kyuubi the keys two days ago, but the Uchiha had resisted going outdoors. There was no telling what might happen, if anyone should recognize him. The boy's stomach roiled in unease when he imagined stepping outside, only to be picked up and taken back to his parents, Naruto coming back home to an empty apartment. No doubt the blonde man would be confused and sad, not knowing what ever became of Kyuubi.

"Ah.... what now?," the pre-teen sighed, stopping in the middle of the kitchen. He really couldn't stand pacing around the house again, but there was nothing else to do. If he sat down anywhere, Kyuubi knew he'd doze off in boredom. The blood-haired male walked out of the kitchen and into the bedroom that had temporarily become his. He strode up to the window, leaning against the sill as he gazed out into the world beyond.

The sun was out and the sky was a brilliant blue. Like something out of a Kodak magazine. The light was beginning to make the pre-teen hot, Kyuubi's black sweater converting the sun's rays into heat. "Okay, that's it," Kyuubi grumbled to himself. "I can't take this! I need to go outside, there's nothing to do in here. I'm going to blow my brains out if I have to stay in this place for a minute longer!"

The Uchiha turned around, grabbing a bandana off from the night stand, and jogging out of the room. He wrapped the midnight blue clothe around his crown, tucking the long strands under so that they were less noticeable. Kyuubi stood at the door, staring at the red wood for a few seconds, before he grabbed hold of the knob. He took a deep breath, swinging the door open and stepping past the threshold.

For a second, the red-head felt his whole body tense, senses sharpening. Naruto's apartment had become a sort of refuge to the runaway boy, and leaving it made Kyuubi feel extremely vulnerable. Like people could automatically see through his plain disguise, and were going to rip him away from his freedom at any moment. The second passed, and the Uchiha began to calm down some when it became apparent that no one was paying him any mind. He was still wary, but panicking out right was only going to draw attention to himself.

Kyuubi smirked, turning around and locking the door behind him, walking down the hall and eventually outdoors. He had almost the whole day to himself now, and the warm air felt good to his lungs. There was only one problem: a direction. The pre-teen stopped at the street corner, coal eyes flashing about the road. An old man was shuffling down the path slowly, paying no mind to the blood-haired kid. Kyuubi stepped back, eyeing the man carefully. He was starting to have second thoughts about coming out now, but the selfish boy wasn't about to return to the safety of Uzumaki's home just because people were out looking for him. What was the point of freedom if he still felt like a caged animal?

The red-head continued to step backwards until he was under the shade of a thin tree along the sidewalk. He looked down at his feet, having kicked up some of the rick dark soil. Kyuubi kept looking at the dirt long enough for the old man to actually pass the boy, a slow, cunning smirk curving his lips. The Uchiha crouched, scooping handfuls of the soil. First he rubbed the dirt into his hands, blending it until his skin darkened a few shades. Then the blood-headed pre-teen rubbed the soil into his face, checking his appearance in the reflection of the apartment complex's metal sign. _'Perfect,'_ Kyuubi hummed to himself.

Confident now that he would be unrecognizable by strangers, Kyuubi continued down the street. For a long time, the boy just wandered about, sticking to the rural areas until he was starting to get his directions mixed up, and which time he immediately turned off and headed toward the main streets. Walking all over helped ease the Uchiha's boredom, even though he never actually did anything in between. Marching past the stores all along Main Street, Kyuubi began to wonder where exactly Naruto's bookstore was. He had never thought to ask the blonde, but now that he was wandering around the area, the pre-teen was curious as to where Naruto's shop was placed. How shocked the older male would be if his house guest suddenly walked through the door of his bookstore. Kyuubi chuckled at the image.

Eventually though, Kyuubi began to get bored of his walk as well. Most of these stores and businesses he'd become familiar with and after going across several blocks, he'd tired of the sights. Huffing impatiently, the red-head turned on his heel, jaywalking across the street to the city park on the other side. He entered the fenced area, striding purposefully through the foliage lined pathways. Older people flocked about the area, mostly seniors, a few being teenagers playing hooky with their significant other. Kyuubi glanced at one couple as he was passing by: the guy had his girlfriend locked in a deep kiss, tongues sliding all over and inside each others mouth. The boy made a face, disturbed by the vulgar act. "Pathetic," he remarked, hurrying on.

The park's exit was on the other side. The Uchiha walked through, and quickly darted across the street again, much to the chagrin of drivers. The red-head shrugged off the angry honks that followed his wake, uncaring that he had upset anyone. He was bored, and he felt a sort of urgency to make it home before Naruto did. There was a high-pitched squeal, and annoyed by the sound, Kyuubi twisted his head to the left. It was then that he noticed that he was walking right by a high school. Students flocked about the school grounds, no doubt more teenagers stuck indoors for a class. Kyuubi slowed down.

He might never have liked the pressure that his parents were putting on him, or the fact that he couldn't relate to any of his peers due to his age, but Kyuubi had enjoyed school. It was the only time he was able to escape from that choking household, relax a bit and at the same time be challenged. On a good day, the challenge would be an exhilarating thrill to him, and the victory would be even sweeter when he overcame it. Kyuubi knew that he would never need friends, and his parents could be as controlling and as distant as they wanted to be, as long as he was able to grow and learn; and slowly break off the chains that held him to his family lineage. Now he had Naruto in that mix as well. The red-head shyly smiled, thinking of the blonde man.

"Are you lost?"

The Uchiha jolted at the voice, spinning away, and glaring at the individual. The person who had spoken –a man with his brown hair pulled up into a stubby ponytail, with a scar across his nose- slightly flinched at the sight of angry eyes burning holes into his frame, before calmly smiling back.

"No need to get defensive," the stranger soothed. "I was only asking you a question. But apparently I surprised you and I apologize for that."

Kyuubi was glad that there was a fence between him and the man. He straightened up, chocking his head to the side as he continued to glare at the brunette. "I'm not lost," he replied.

The older male blinked, before nodding in understanding. "I was just asking. You seemed to have zoned out, and I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay with you. Do you go to this school?," the stranger asked.

The red-head scowled at the man, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets. He refused to respond, and the man clued into that. "Oh, where are my manners!," the brunette exclaimed. "My name is Umino Iruka. I'm a teacher here."

Kyuubi rolled his eyes. This man reminded him a lot of Naruto. Only very kind, moronic idiots would begin talking to random strangers and give their names to street punks. Still, this time the Uchiha didn't feel inclined to divulge that kind of information to this… Iruka… person. Naruto had been a different case. He'd needed to use the blonde to gain himself some accommodations and safety from police.

"Whatever," the blood-haired boy muttered a few moments afterward. He spun back around on his heel, striding away from the school and the brown-haired teacher standing at the fence. He tucked his chin against his chest, ignoring all those around him, just like they ignored him. Back at the fence, Iruka watched as the pre-teen stalked off, molding away into the crowds. The brunette felt a little worried about the dirt-streaked kid, but he had learned years ago that trying to force attention on a street child could bring about some real nasty results. Better to let him go when the boy wanted to leave, instead of giving chase. Still, Iruka resolved to keep an eye out for the pre-teen, and to offer him whatever help he could, should he ever see the boy again. The bell rang across the field, and Umino turned about, hurrying to get inside and to his last period class.

* * *

Kyuubi had cleaned up by the time that Naruto came home, and sat at kitchen table writing in his notebook. The blonde was whistling merrily, making a loud enough ruckus as he removed all of his outer gear before stepping into the kitchen. "Hey, Kyuubi!," the older male greeted, "How was your day?"

Kyuubi turned his attention away from his work, looking at Naruto casually. "Fine," he answered.

Naruto pulled a pot out from under the cupboard, filling it to the brim with water and putting it onto the stove. He turned the burner on, then left the pot to boil while he took a seat across the table from the pre-teen. "Whatcha working on there?," the man asked. The red-head hesitated for a moment, pen poised over the page, but he was sliding the notebook across the table soon after. Naruto smiled appreciatively at the boy, twisting the notebook right-side up and studying the page.

"I ..I see," Naruto mumbled in surprise, his mouth twisting in a confused smile. "I get that it's math, but I am really lost."

Kyuubi smiled, taking back his notebook when the blonde held it out for him. "It's University level-entry calculus," the boy informed the Uzumaki, "I had been starting to learn it before...." Kyuubi let his words trail off, not willing to finish the rest of the sentence. Naruto nodded his head, interpreting the silence to the situation painted in his head. The red-head only folded his hands in front of him, resting his chin on his knuckles and staring off to the right.

"What's for dinner?," he asked, as a distraction.

Naruto bit. "Tonight's meal is Fettuccini Alfredo, with a side of steamed string beans and broccoli!," the blonde exclaimed.

"What, no brussel sprouts?," came the pre-teen's teasing response.

The man pulled a face, his tongue sticking out in distaste. "Brussel sprouts are the most evilest vegetable in the patch. They corrupt others with their nasty smell and vomit-inducing flavor. Eww... I would never eat those things, let alone release them on the unexpecting children of this world!"

Kyuubi chuckled at Naruto's declaration. It was pretty easy to get the blonde worked up, and it was never dull either. 'Dinner and a show,' the boy thought to himself, smirking to fight down another bout of laughs. The loud bubble and hiss of the pot drew Naruto's attention, and the male rose to go to the pot. It was quiet for a minute while the Uzumaki poured a package of noodles into the pot, giving them a quick stir.

"So, guess what happened to me today?," Naruto started.

"What?," Kyuubi replied instantly, leaning back in his seat, scribbling in his notebook. Naruto walked to the fridge, continuing, "I got a call from some dude. Someone very prestigious as far as I can remember, a published author as well. Well, as it turns out he's releasing another book soon, and he decided to have a book showing."

Naruto started working on the sauce, putting the vegetables into the steamer. He poured a cup of milk into the pot, looking over his shoulder to Kyuubi. "Instead of having some huge party thing, the guy wanted to do something quiet. But he also wanted to keep it somewhat private, no press coverage or anything like that. So he heard about my shop, and requested to reserve the place for the day. Usually I don't do things like that. I know my business is small, so I don't like closing my doors to regular customers just because some dude wants me to. But the guy offered me a nice sum for the reservation; more than I make in a month on average!"

Naruto was stirring the pasta as he spoke, but he stopped, waving a mitten-covered hand at the pre-teen. "Now, I'm not saying that I'm the kind of person to fold to money -cause I'm not," the man protested, "But with that kind of money I can finally do some updates to my store, and order some new materials as well."

Kyuubi could easily tell that Naruto wasn't a greedy person, and shook his head at the blonde's protests. The blonde didn't have to worry about explaining himself to the boy, because the Uchiha would never think negatively of the older male. If Naruto could give him shelter, Kyuubi noted, a stranger, then there was no doubt that the Uzumaki had the purest intentions when he accepted the money. And that made the red-head wonder, just how much money had been offered?

"When is the book showing?," the boy asked, ignoring the other questions in his head.

Naruto turned all the burners off, straining the noodles. "Huh, oh, it's this Saturday!," the blonde answered. "I'm going to go in early to set up for the show. The man gave me a list of things that need to be done for that day, food included."

"You're doing his dirty work?," Kyuubi scowled.

Naruto laughed good-heartedly, dishing their supper. "Don't say it like that. He's giving me extra money to pay for the expenses. And I've got a couple employees who have been looking for a chance to do something new. So it's alright. I mean, after all, other businesses have to deal with this sort of stuff when handling reservations."

The blood-haired boy only shook his head. He still didn't like the fact that Naruto would be stuck doing a bunch of extra work, but arguing his point wouldn't do much for him. The blonde set a plate of food down in front of the pre-teen, walking to the other side of the table and sitting down, with his own plate in his hands.

"By the way," Kyuubi said, a bit after they had eaten, "where is your shop?"

Naruto blinked, slurping up a loose noodle, wiping at his mouth with the napkin. "It's just off of Main street, down on Kage Avenue. It'll be the little red shop, next to Starbucks. Lightning Flash Book Outlet.**(1)** You interested in coming with me this Saturday?"

Kyuubi tensed, shaking his head. If Naruto was right in telling him that the man that had made the reservations was rich and well-known, then going to the book showing would definitely be a bad idea. Someone would most likely recognize him and then he'd be taken away. No more freedom... no more Naruto. "That's alright. I want to do some work this weekend," the pre-teen explained.

"Okay," Naruto replied. Was it just him, or did the blonde sound slightly... disappointed.

"But.... there is something I do need," Kyuubi said after a moment. He may not have liked others using Naruto, but that didn't mean that the red-head wasn't going to. He needed to work his connections after all, if he wanted to milk this freedom for all that it's worth. The Uzumaki had perked at the boy's words, and waited for the Uchiha to go on. "I've gotten a little bored. And as fun as testing myself is, writing equations for myself isn't.... challenging enough," the kid explained. "I need some actual course material. Can you get me some?"

The blonde was silent after the question had been asked, blue eyes dark with thought. "Hmm... yeah, I think I can get something," Naruto answered. The man nodded, beaming brightly. "Yep, it'll be no problem."

"Good. And make sure it's at least a grade 11 work level," Kyuubi said. "And... thanks," he added, blushing slightly.

Uzumaki shook his head, still smiling. "Don't mention. Now eat your dinner before I fork you," he threatened jokingly.

The blood-headed child arched an eyebrow at the blonde's last words, but said nothing, digging back into his food; unable to wipe the grin off his face. What a strange situation he was in.

**C.M.D: Wow, so.... I haven't updated this in a while, huh? But if we're really gonna talk about slow updates, we should probably look at a few of my other fanfics. -Cringe- or maybe we shouldn't..... I really need to write chapters for those.... ah, ha, ha.... ha.....  
****In any case, here's an update for you guys so be sure to review please! Probably not the best, but at least it's written right?  
****(1)Yes, I named the shop pretty much after the Yondaime from the series, and the street for the Hokages. I was having trouble thinking of a store name, so sue me!  
****Alright, well that's all I have to say for this chapter. And again, please, please, **_**please **_**REVIEW. I want to hear your comments, guys. Ja!**


	5. Doing a little Business

**C.M.D: Alright guys, here's another update for you. I hope you'll enjoy it! Thanks for Reviewing: cluelessninja65, MySolitude, -siarafaerie-101-miss, hanakisa, and NaTsUkO-ChAn. And thanks to everyone who's reading this story, and to those who might review in the future. Okay, read on guys!**

**xx-X Doing a little Business X-xx**

Iruka stood in his quiet kitchen, putting a bunch of things into a bento box for lunch. The smells wafting from it were enticing, and the brunette was pleased with himself that this well-prepared meal would be going to fill a young man's belly. Engrossed in his work, the teacher did not notice that someone had entered the kitchen, until the intruder had stalked right up behind the brunette, pinning him to the counter.

"My.... doesn't that smell delicious," a breath murmured huskily into his ear. Iruka eeped, turning several shades red as hands wound their way across his waist, dipping just under the hem of his shirt.

"Kakashi!," the brunette hissed, elbowing the man behind him. The grey-haired male coughed in pain, loosening his hold on the other. Iruka took this chance to spin around, facing the ex-cop. "Don't you ever give up?," he demanded.

Kakashi managed to regain composure, pushing his and Umino's hips together, which encited another squeak from the blushing man. "Maa....Iruka, you know you enjoy it." The man slipped his bandana off his face, leaning in and capturing the brunette's lips into a heated kiss. Iruka fought to remain in control, but all thoughts of restraint went out the window when Hatake attached his lips to the shorter man's neck.

Iruka melted, clutching at the man's back, fisting handfuls of the shirt. Kakashi hummed appreciatively, rocking his hips slowly forward, causing the dazed brunette to rock back in response, seeking more. Umino gasped, body going rigid with anticipation when the grey-haired man suddenly grabbed his ass, massaging the globes through the fabric of his pants. Caught up in the frenzied foreplay, the ringing of a cellphone nearly went unnoticed.

"K...'kashi....," Iruka panted, smacking the man's back weakly. "P-phone...."

Kakashi nipped at the brunette's neck. "Don't care," he growled, pulling back for a second. The cell stopped ringing, and pleased, Hatake returned to ravishing his lover. But the ringing had cleared a bit of the haze that covered Iruka's mind, and the brunette pushed against the other man's arms. At that same moment, the kitchen phone rang.

"Alright, off, off!," Iruka commanded. He shoved hard at Kakashi, and the grey-haired male reluctantly let go. The teacher managed to catch the phone on the third ring, putting the receiver to his ear. "Umino household."

"Hey, Iruka-sensei!"

"Naruto!," Iruka said. "Oh, I almost forgot. What time is it?"

The blonde chuckled through the line. "Don't worry, Iruka-sensei. I figured that perv of a boyfriend of yours would bug you, so I called early. There's still an hour before the show case, plenty of time for you to get down here."

The brunette sighed, smiling. It was amazing how much his former student had grown. "How are things, Naruto?," he asked, ignoring Kakashi who was hugging him from behind. The grey-haired man attempted to chew on Iruka's free ear, but the brunette swatted at the man's head.

"Great," Naruto answered. "And after today, things will be much better. I'll finally have the money to improve on my shop."

"That's good to hear," Iruka replied. "I'm so pr- Ow! Kakashi, give it up!!" The brunette kicked at the Hatake's shin, grinning triumphantly when his lover grunted in pain, retreating from the shorter man's range.

Umino heard the blonde laughing over the telephone. "I hope you gave it to him good, Iruka-sensei!," the Uzumaki snickered. "Wish I was there...." Iruka rolled his eyes, and opened his mouth to say something when there came a crash over the phone.

"Shit!," Naruto cussed loudly in his ear.

"Naruto," Iruka scolded. "Watch your mouth."

"Sorry, Iruka-sensei. No, no, it's okay Hinata! I'll clean it up, just go set out the plates. Yeah, I'll be good. Iruka-sensei," Naruto said, addressing the brunette again, "I've got to go, sorry! Please don't forget the course work I asked for."

"I won't," Iruka assured.

The blonde sighed over the phone, the sound of a smile tugging at his lips. "Alright, see you later Iruka-sensei!"

"Bye," Umino managed to get out, before the line went dead. The brunette hung up the phone, and turned about suspiciously, wondering what his lover was up to. He found Kakashi leaning against the counter, chomping on shrimp rice that was in the bento box.

"Kakashi!," Iruka gasped, "That bento was for Naruto!!"

The grey-haired man blinked, glanced down at the bento in his hands, then looked back up at the brunette. "Oops," he said, not at all sounding sorry. Iruka huffed in irritation, stomping out of the kitchen and to the entry way. It seemed he'd have to rely on Ichiraku Ramen to feed his former student today. "Kakashi, grab my bag out of the living room."

* * *

While Naruto had been on the phone with his highschool geography teacher, his newest employee Hinata Hyuuga had been bustling about, setting up the hors d'oeuvres on the long white table set up against the cashier. The raven was quite careful and rarely had any accidents, but while she was setting down a platter of 5-star deviled eggs, the sleeve of her shirt had gotten hooked to one of the spiked edges of the punch bowl. Unknowingly, the female turned away to go gather the rest of the platters, when the bowl followed; crashing to the floor.

Hinata began stuttering a string of apologies, bending down to scoop the glass up. Her tender fingers pressed too sharply in one piece, and slit the skin. "Ow," she quietly cried, pulling away from the pieces. The pale-eyed female felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. There was supposed to be a prestigious event happening in only an hour, and yet she had blundered greatly. Poor Naruto, he was going to get into trouble because of her.

"Shit," came her boss's voice from behind her.

"I-I'm s-sorry, s-sir. I-I ...I'll cl-clean th-this u-up rig-right a-away...," Hinata once again apologized, reaching for the glass shards once more despite her injuries.

"No, no, it's okay, Hinata!," Naruto cried, pulling the phone wire taut as he tried to step toward her. The blonde stopped before he pulled the wire out of the jack, wondering why the hell he hadn't invested in a wireless.

"B-but...," The Huuyga tried to protest.

"I'll clean it up," the blonde assured her, smiling to calm her nerves. "Just go set out the plates."

Hinata hesitantly stood back up, touching her bleeding fingertip gently. "A-are y-you su-sure?," she asked. Her stutter had not been this bad in such a long time. Her head was starting to feel dizzy with all the blood that flooded her cheeks.

"Yeah, I'll be good," The Uzumaki told her. He winked at her, then turned back to the phone, finishing up his conversation. Not wanting to ruin anything else today, Hinata scurried to the back of the store, washing and bandaging her cut, before setting herself on finishing the other tasks Naruto had set for her. She worked diligently, placing everything in their proper places with great care.

The time was nearing the hour when their customer would soon arrive, followed soon after by his guests. Naruto had finally gotten off the phone, cleaned up the glass, and dug out a set of 100 champagne flutes, placing thirty on the table and filling them with the sparkling wine that had been requested by their employer. Together the pair worked to stack the books up nicely on a round table on the opposite side of the banquet table. A small podium set up in front of a row of bookshelves, a blue curtain as its back drop.

Hinata was setting up a bristol board displaying the title of the book, with a picture of the author placed in the upper right-hand corner. Her pale eyes hooded at the sight of her cousin, and stiffly the female turned away from the image. She was well-aware that Neji was the one hosting this book showing, and despite the fact that she never wanted again to see that man's face, she had decided to stay and help Naruto with the event. Lightning Flash was already somewhat understaffed, but on a normal day that usually wasn't a concern.

Naruto was behind the cash register, combing through a handful of bills, counting. She stood by patiently, watching the ticking hands of the clock as she waited. Neji Hyuuga would be here in eight more minutes. The familiar clink of the cash closing drew the raven from her thoughts, and she turned to her boss, smiling shyly. "E-everything is done, Naruto-san."

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," Naruto replied. "You're free to go."

The Hyuuga blinked. She was free to go? Free to go where? She had a shift to do right now. The blonde smiled kindly at her puzzled expression, handing her her coat from over the counter top. "This Neji guy, who know him right?," The Uzumaki asked. "I mean, you both have the same last names, but nowadays it's pretty normal for people to have similar surnames so I don't want to assume that you're related or anything. But it's pretty obvious that you know him at least, and I'm betting that you guys aren't exactly on friendly terms either."

"H-how...? I, I mean.... wha...?," Hinata gaped, unsure of how to voice her shock and confusion.

Naruto walked around the counter, lightly guiding the raven to the door. "You've been real tense all this morning," he explained. "And if looks could kill, Hinata, that picture would have withered away and the ashes crisped down to the very atom."

"B-but.... you can't do t-this all alone!," Hinata protested, standing her ground right at the door. She was going to try and convince her boss to let her stay, but deep down inside she knew that was going to be impossible. Naruto was one of those kind of people who wasn't easily swayed once they had made a decision, and though he may appear somewhat oblivious, the blonde always had a backup plan should something go wrong.

As proof to what the Hyuuga had just thought, Naruto chuckled in good nature, pushing the door open and leading both of them outside. "Don't worry about it, Hinata-chan," the blonde said. "I called TenTen, and asked if she'd be willingly to stop by for a bit to help me out. She's already on her way. Hopefully, she'll get here before Iruka-sensei...."

The raven wished she could have said something more, but it was obvious that there was no changing her boss's mind, so she simply nodded and smiled in gratitude. He had saved her from having to be in the mere presence of her blood relative. "I'll continue my shift tomorrow then," she replied.

"Of course," Naruto agreed. The woman said her quiet farewells, and left. With a book showing happening in only a minute or so, the blonde had to get back to work.

* * *

Iruka made his appearance almost two hours after he had gotten off the phone with Naruto, and consequently had to tap on the glass to get the blonde's attention. Spotting them, the young man grabbed his shop's keys and hurried outside. "Iruka-sensei," he whined. "You're late. You said you'd be here on time, and I even called you early!"

"Uzumaki," Iruka scowled, "What grown man whines like he was five?"

"Umm...I do?," Naruto asked. Iruka sighed in irritation, ignoring the foxy grin that bloomed across the younger male's face.

"You really haven't changed much," Kakashi noted, approaching the pair. Naruto scowled at the ex-cop.

"Control your libido, Kakashi! Because of you, Iruka-sensei came late, and I can't even hang and talk for a bit because I'm needed," the blonde complained.

"Who don't you ever address me with proper respect, like you do Iruka," Kakashi frowned.

"Because you don't deserve it," came two voices. The older man sweat-dropped at the synchronism of his lover and former student.

"Ganging up on me.... that's not really fair."

"Oh, go back to the mall where you belong, rent-a-cop," Naruto said, he walked toward Iruka, hands reaching out for the bags the brunette held.

"The correct term is mall security guard," Kakashi replied. "And there is a lot a security guard must do. Don't disrespect my position."

Naruto snorted. "Please! All you do is sit in that little office of yours by Walmart, munching on dango**(1)** and downing a cup of coffee every hour and a half. The most action you get nowadays is chasing little brats out of every electronic store they try to lift from."

"Okay, first of all," the grey-haired man started. "I get plenty of action from your dear beloved sensei here, thank you very much." This was responded with a slap, and a disturbed groan. "And second, never understand brats. You're testimony to that."

Naruto stuck his tongue out childishly at the Hatake, turning back to Iruka. "Thanks so much, Iruka-sensei. You're a life saver!" The blonde rifled through the binders and envelopes of school work. "Everything seems to be here. Again, thank you. It wasn't too much trouble to get?"

Iruka handed the Uzumaki the other bag he brought, containing the Ichiraku Ramen, plugging his ears at the cheerful crow of delight. "No," the brunette answered a moment after, "It wasn't too hard to get. It's all up to date stuff as well, just as you asked." The Umino frowned. Now how was he going to pose this next question.

"Naruto.... if I could just ask.... Why do you even want this stuff?"

The blonde blinked, mind gearing into overdrive. He hadn't considered the possibility that his former teacher might find it odd that he would want a packet of sheets for the grade 12 curriculum. And as much as Naruto honored telling the truth, something in his gut told him that he shouldn't mention Kyuubi to Iruka. At least.... not yet.

"Yeah," Kakashi piped up, "Why would you want a bunch of school work for? I mean, you're not exactly the brightest crayon in the box, if your highschool report cards can attest to much."

Naruto glared at the man. "Well...umm," he mumbled, trying to come up with a reasonable lie quick. "I thought I'd do some practicing, you know? Make sure that I keep up with the times. I hear that if you don't exercise your brain often, you end up like Kakashi: perverted and bored at a lame-ass job."

"You're just jealous 'cause I'm getting some, when you're still a virgin," the Hatake shot back.

Iruka sighed, watching as his former student bristled in angry embarrassment, his lover smirking under the bandana. "Alright, give it up you two," the brunette interjected. "You're both acting like children. Naruto I expect that more from, but honestly Kakashi, you're way too old to be doing this still."

The Uzumaki snickered, hearing his highschool sensei call Kakashi old, not minding the sullen glare the grey-haired man was directing at him. "Well, I've got to get back inside now, Iruka-sensei," Naruto reluctantly spoke up. "I'll get in touch later this week, alright?"

Iruka nodded. "Take care of yourself," he smiled at the blonde. Naruto returned the smile with his own foxy grin. Waving bye to the two older adults, the young man hurried back into the shop, needing to return to his duties.

* * *

"What am I doing here again?"

Neji carelessly glanced to his left, blinking at the Uchiha before turning his attention to one of his guests that approached them, congratulating the Hyuuga on his book release. "The reason you're here is quite simple, Uchiha. You are here to keep up with social expectations, and to escape from the flaming dragon who you claim is your wife," the long-haired man answered plainly.

Sasuke scowled, crossing his arms over his chest, making sure to keep his wedding band out in the open; a signal for the few flirtatious females here that they shouldn't waste their time. "I rather keep my social rep by staying away from the money-grubbers, thank you very much," he replied snippily.

Neji didn't respond to that, swirling the champagne in his glass. "Madara still hasn't come home yet?"

The spiky raven tensed, his stare becoming several degrees icier. "What are you saying, Hyuuga? My son was kidnaped. Of course he hasn't come home yet; he isn't free to come and go as he pleases."

"That's funny." Sasuke actually glared at Neji this time, fingers curled into fists. Neji ignored the look the Uchiha gave him, sipping from his glass carefully instead, blinking around at the small crowd. Satisfied that noone was near enough, the Hyuuga continued. "It's been a little over a month now. The media is repeatedly reporting the same thing: no information whatsoever. Sasuke, we're both aware that if your son had really been kidnaped, there would have been a ransom by now. The truth is, Madara is way to clever to allow himself to be caught, and unorthodox as this situation is; it's not beyond that boy's genius to pull off a stunt like this. Therefore, I ask: when do you think Madara will return?"

Neji raised his glass to his lips for another sip, when it was slapped out of his hands. The flute fell to the floor with a crash, and immediately a hush fell over the store. Pale eyes narrowed at the raven beside him. Sasuke was a stone carving of barely controlled fury. "Uchiha...," Neji growled.

The muscle in Sasuke's cheek twitched, but the man kept his jaw clenched shut, spinning away from the long-haired male. He stomped through the crowed, who easily parted for him, ignoring their hushed whispers. A blonde stepped into his path, just past the banquet table, and the two collided. The Uchiha caught his balance, but the blonde -who hadn't been paying attention in the first place- fell to the floor; papers and ramen spreading across the floor.

Sasuke stood stock still, eyeing the miso broth on his shoes with distaste, shifting his vision to a tan hand that was frantically grabbing sheets off the floor before they were soaked in spilled ramen. A black eyebrow rose when he spotted that one of the sheets was a practice test for grade 12 Calculus final. "What, you can't even apologize!," came the irritated voice. Blue eyes were dark with anger, narrowed at him.

The raven snorted. "You got in the way. And you expect me to say sorry?," he sneered. Naruto clenched his teeth, getting to his feet.

"Fine, don't apologize. Why would I want some bastard's excuse of an apology anyways," the smaller man retorted, getting to his feet. "But you can at least pay me for my lunch, and the fact that now I have to clean up your mess in my shop!"

Sasuke was not in the mood to be talked down to, especially by some middle-class, idiot blonde.

He pulled out his wallet, taking a five out, and tossing it at the other man. "There. Payment for everything. And I'll be sending you a bill for my shoes," the Uchiha smirked, stepping past the gaping blonde and out of the store.

Naruto glared at the stranger's back, before slamming his stuff on the cashier's counter. "Sorry for the disturbance, Hyuuga-san," he apologized, stiffly bowing to the crowd of people. "Excuse me... I have to go get the mop...."

* * *

Kyuubi stared at the cooking rice, blinking slowly in boredom. It was Saturday. Naruto usually was home earlier on the weekends. No doubt, the blonde was stuck still cleaning up after that book showing today. The pre-teen wished he could of been there -it was somewhat boring with out the Uzumaki around- but that would be impossible. As the red-head had once assumed, the shop's client was someone who knew him.

Neji Hyuuga was a close associate of his father. The long-haired man had become the exceeding heir to the Hyuuga empire, when the family's former president passed away. A lot of controversy had risen with the passing of the torch, because it was believed that Hiashi's first born- Hinata Hyuuga- would take over after her father's death. But somewhere along the way things had changed, and Neji was the one taking office after the funeral. The media had been there as witness, when shortly after the burial, Hinata had to be restrained by mother and sister; while shouting at her cousin that he had blackmailed her father into writing over all the main family's assets to Neji. The man had only smiled, and softly announced that 'grief is poisoning my dear cousin's judgment.'

Hinata Hyuuga had pretty much dropped out of the top circle, and the eye of the media, not too long after that. Perhaps, what she had said had all been true, but like most things that happened to the City's financial best, it had been written off as a rumor. Kyuubi unplugged the rice cooker, as the machine's icon changed to indicate that the rice had been cooked. Neji Hyuuga was exactly the type of person the boy did not want to come across, for the simple fact that the man would enjoy bringing him back to his parents and turning Naruto into some sort of twisted kidnapper.

"I never want to go back to that place," the Uchiha whispered. "Never."

The door clicked, announcing that Naruto was home. The dark-haired child scrambled to scoop rice and home-made dumplings onto plates, rushing over and setting them onto the kitchen table, just as Naruto came into the kitchen. The blonde looked positively disheveled.

The man dropped an armful of stuff onto the counter, turning on the faucet and splashing water onto his face. "What happened?," Kyuubi asked, handing Naruto the hand towel. The boy felt his free hand clenched in anger. If Neji did anything to the Uzumaki, he'd-!

"Some asshole bumped into me today. He nearly got all your course work soaked in ramen," the blonde said. He patted the bundle he had placed on the counter. "But it's okay. I managed to save it all. Might be a little crumbled up and such, but you won't have to worry about it being covered in miso that's for sure."

"Someone bumped into you? That's all?," the Uchiha quizzed, suspicious.

Naruto sighed. "No, you're right. That wasn't all," he confessed. "But I really don't want to reflect on the guy's attitude today. Takes too much energy. Thankfully, Hyuuga-san had been kind enough to add a bonus to my check. 'On Account of Sasuke-san's behaviour' he said."

Kyuubi froze. His father had been there. Naruto was upset _because_ of his father? The pre-teen felt his earlier anger come back ten-fold. If he ever ran into his old man, he was going to kill him! There was another sigh, a weight pressing on the red-head's shoulders. Kyuubi tensed again, eyes wide with confusion.

"Sorry," came Naruto's mumble. The blonde tightened his arms around the boy, hugging him tightly. "Really need a hug. Oh, yeah, good evening by the way."

Kyuubi blushed, patting the Uzumaki's forearm comfortingly. "Don't worry about it. Come on, let's eat," the pre-teen replied. He'd worry about his dad tomorrow, right now he needed to get Naruto back to his cheerful old self.

**C.M.D: Alrighty then, that's it for this chapter. Interesting on how everyone's connected to each other, isn't it? And I'll be adding some.... other things.... to the story later on. Spice it up a little, you know? Oh, I wonder is anyone shall find out where Kyuubi is staying? Will Naruto ever figure out Kyuubi's real identity?  
Stay tuned and find out! And remember readers: the way to quicker updates is lots, and lots of reviews!! So, REVIEW PLEASE!:D  
(1) Dango... umm, I belive dango is those circle things that they serve on a kabab stick. Yeah, I really have no clear idea what dango is... my bad...**


	6. A Couple Understandings

**C.M.D: Yay, an update! Be glad fellow readers for Fate has arrived to sate your desires (kidding). Anyways, before we get to the story, I have to do the thank you's. THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING: cluelessninja65, My Solitude, NaTsUkO-ChAn, hanakisa. I loved reading all your guys reviews. And thanks to everyone else who has read, faved or/and alerted this story. Virtual cupcakes to all! Alright, now onto the story...**

**xx-X A Couple Understandings X-xx**

The next day, Kyuubi had come to a decision. He was going to go with Naruto to the shop. The pre-teen slid out of bed, running a hand through his disheveled spikes. He could hear the Uzumaki bumping about in the kitchen, the smell of breakfast reaching him as the boy stalked off to the bathroom. Kyuubi stared at his reflection in the mirror. He felt sick to his stomach, had felt that way ever since last night.

Naruto's brush with Neji yesterday.... unsettled the Uchiha. Something worse could have happened, then what had actually occurred, with his father being a total asshole. His dad.... God, Kyuubi sighed. His dad was a complete prick, even the boy knew that, but to act that way to Naruto?! The blonde was the best person in the world, albeit a little gullible and prone to moments of randomness.

The red-head turned on the faucet, brushing his teeth and emptying his bladder before walking out into the kitchen. Kyuubi sat down at the table, already digging his teeth into the slice of pan-fried ham on his plate. Naruto hummed as he poured himself a cup of coffee, adding a third of milk and sugar to the drink. It was nice to see that the Uzumaki had cheered up from last night, but the child was still worried. He wanted- no, needed- to make sure that the blonde was 100 percent back to the way he was. After all, if Naruto wasn't his old-self... then was he really Naruto anymore?

"I guess you'll be busy today, huh?," Naruto spoke up. "What with all that school work you've got now. But at least you won't be bored anymore, right?"

Kyuubi blinked at the blonde, watching the man sip at his coffee. Bloody orbs fell to the side, where the pile of school work still sat on the counter from last night. The boy felt a small tug within him, desiring the comfort of familiar equations and grammar structure, but shook his head. School work had been his haven for when he was living under his parents' roof; he had run away from that place. So why should he be so fixated on grades when he had found a new safe place now, here with Naruto? "Actually," the Uchiha began, swallowing, "I think I'd like to come with you to work today."

"Really!?," Naruto exclaimed.

Kyuubi nearly dropped his fork in surprise, but managed to keep his grip on it in the end. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, erratic from the shock of the blonde's outburst, but also from the overjoyed smile spread across the man's face. "That's great to hear," the blonde continued. "I just know you'll love the place. I'll even show you the ropes if you want."

Naruto rose from his chair, quickly rushing about and putting the dirty dishes into the sink. Kyuubi scrapped the last of the breakfast into his mouth, getting up and placing his plate with the other dishes. He followed the older male around the small apartment, watching as the blonde grabbed a shoulder bag, stuffing papers in it as the Uzumaki skipped about the place. Naruto was running his mouth, going on excitedly about how great today was going to be, and all the fun they'd have. The pre-teen remained quiet through it all, smiling slightly at the typical behavior of the blonde.

Their roundabout trip eventually took them to the front door, where Naruto set his things down and started to slip his jacket on. "I'm ready to go. What about you?"

The Uchiha paused in mid-stride, blinking at the man. "Give me a second," he answered, spinning on his heel and heading back to the bedroom. He grabbed his hoodie, yanking it over his head. He fixed a bandana over his bloody spikes, then popped the hood up over his crown. There was nothing he could do about his skin this time, but he wasn't going to worry. As long as he was with Naruto, things would be alright. Satisfied, the pre-teen jogged back out into the entry way, slipping his shoes on and smirking up at the blonde. "Let's go," he said. Naruto grinned, opening the door, and the pair exited the apartment.

* * *

Kyuubi would admit that he didn't know alot of things about Naruto. A somewhat reasonable thing, considering the pre-teen had only been in the man's care for little over a month. But for some reason, it didn't cross the Uchiha's mind on how Naruto commuted to and from work. It was with a little surprise that the red-head followed the Uzumaki around the building into the parking lot, and right up to the side of a motorbike.**(1)**Wonders of wonders, it was painted in orange and black streaks

Naruto patted the seat of the bike, grinning at Kyuubi. "This here is my baby. A Suzuki GSX-R 600, 2006. She's a little old nowadays, I guess, but she runs smooth enough anyway. Besides, I don't have extra money to buy myself a new set of wheels," the blonde explained, laughing good-heartedly. The Uchiha decided not to respond to that. Naruto turned away for a second, picking up the orange and black swirled helmet hanging off the handle bar (how is it that the helmet hadn't been stolen?) and paused. "Oh," the man said, "Well... This is a bit of a problem isn't it."

The pre-teen raised an eyebrow in confusion, before it dawned on him what Naruto was talking about. One helmet, two riders. "What are you going to do?," Kyuubi asked.

Naruto cocked his head up to the sky, quiet in thought for a couple seconds. Then he abruptly turned around and plunked the helmet onto the Uchiha's head. Kyuubi hissed in shock and slight pain, pushing up the tinted visor and blinking annoyingly at the blonde. "Hey, it looks good on you," the man complimented. The boy rolled his eyes, landing them back on the Uzumaki.

"And what about you? It's illegal to ride a motored vehicle without the required head gear," the red-head responded, folding his arms over his chest. Naruto shrugged, getting onto the bike. "I'll be fine. Truth be told, I've done it before. But I promise I'll return to be a law abiding citizen... as soon as I buy another helmet. Which I'll do tonight, after work," the older male added, noticing the kid's displeased expression. "Jeez, Kyuubi," the blonde joked. "You frown like an old man. Keep it up and you'll have wrinkles in no time."

"Not funny," Kyuubi replied. He didn't like the way Naruto was acting so nonchalent about not wearing a helmet. Putting the boy's safety over his own.... The Uchiha hated to say it, but he didn't think he deserved that kind of thing, from anybody.

"Alright," Naruto piped, breaking the boy's train of thought, "Hop on." The red-head looked at the space between the blonde and the handlebars, where the man was gesturing for him to climb on. Not that the Uzumaki let Kyuubi sit there and panic over the moment. "Are you coming or not? I have to get to work."

The Uchiha sighed, easily slipping onto the bit of seat infront of the blonde, ignoring the burning of his face. He was almost molded against Naruto's body; so when the blonde folded to reach the handlebars, Kyuubi leant forward as well, his pal hands gripping the middle junction of the bars. "Hold on tight," Naruto told him, starting up the engine. The pre-teen kept quiet, pulling the visor down over his eyes. Naruto's hands slightly flicked the gas, legs popping the kickstand up, and folding alongside the bike's body. The engine gave a smooth roar, bursting to life, and then they were moving out of the parking lot. The pair moved at a medium pace, until they turned onto the main street, where Naruto fed the bike more gas and then they were zipping down the street.

Kyuubi's red eyes followed the speed-o-meter for a bit, watching the twitchy orange dial rise higher and higher until it hit 60 KM, where it stayed. They were going fast now. The younger male tried to look at his surroundings but he couldn't see them all that well. Wind slapped against the visor of the helmet, and the Uchiha was glad he was wearing it, or else he'd be blinded. Gusts of wind billowed up his sleeves and whirled around his chest, making him shiver slightly from the chill. This...this was awesome! It had been a while since Kyuubi had ridden, and he missed the thrill that came with being on top of a muscled animal, feeling those very muscles and tendons pull and push beneath him as they galloped through the night, wind whistling around him. The hard wind, and the blurring of his surroundings, that was always the best part of the ride. Naruto leaned to the side, the motorbike following as they rounded a corner. The red-head copied the Uzumaki, pushing back against the blonde's chest (he was so warm compared to the Uchiha) to keep in place. But this here, Kyuubi noted, this was better. Maybe it wasn't a well-bred racing horse, but that was okay all the same to the boy.

The kid hadn't realized he was grinning until Naruto pulled up to the sidewalk minutes later, engine rumbling quietly as the red-head dismounted the bike. "You enjoyed it that much, huh?," Naruto chuckled, as Kyuubi pulled the helmet off. The boy felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment but he was too happy overall to be bothered by the blonde's observation like he normally would have been. Instead, he just laughed along with the Uzumaki, trying to gain control of his excitement.

"Yeah," the Uchiha let slipped.

"Then we'll definitely have to do this more often," Naruto replied. Kyuubi felt the last of his breath leave him. He was already light from the ride here, and now the Uzumaki was offering him a chance to do this more often; _together_. His heart practically stopped in his chest with happiness. Naruto jingled a set of keys as he wrestled them out of his pocket, tossing them to the unexpecting Uchiha. Kyuubi hastened to catch them, nearly falling off balance in the process, straightening up having safely caught the keys. "I'm just going to ride around back and park, alright. Feel free to head inside," Naruto instructed the pre-teen. The blonde pulled away from the curb, and true to his word, drove off and turned at the side of the building.

Kyuubi smiled softly to himself, jingling the keys in his palm as he headed to the store's front door. He put the helmet under his arm, and unlocked the door. The boy's heart was slowly returning to its normal rythme, and now the Uchiha was regaining his senses. And that was leaving him all confused again. He frowned. _'Why? Why is this happening to me?'_ Since when had he become so concerned about Naruto, and just exactly was the blonde doing to him? The pre-teen used to care only about grades and not letting himself be subject to the hypocrasy he saw everyday from the adults around him.... now here he was: enjoying rides on motorcycles, watching movies and t.v all day, and spending his evenings eating home-made food and talking with the Uzumaki as if he was... as if he was a normal twelve year old.

And that's when it hit him. Naruto had become such an important person in his life because (and the boy was loathe to admit it was thanks to all those times he had to read those stupid English novels, that he was actually able to understand what he was feeling) Kyuubi had finally found a place to just be himself; unpressured and free. He had found himself a place to call home; a family.

"Fuck," the red-head cursed, entering the bookstore. There went most of his good mood.

* * *

Hinata opened the door to Lightning Flash, feeling herself relax with the ever familiar tinkling of the bell above the doorway. This place had become a sanctuary to the raven, and she loved coming here, even on her days off. But today, she had a specific reason for coming, and it was making her tense all over again just thinking about it. She walked up to the counter, drawing the attention of the brunette sitting there.

"Oh, hey Hinata!," Tenten greeted, putting down the National Geographic magazine she was reading. It was a normal occurence to see Flash employees reading, it was usually a quiet place here. Something that Naruto hoped to change a little.

"Hello," the Hyuuga replied. "Is Naruto-san in?"

Tenten nodded. "Yeah, he's in the back right now, running up the bills this month. Here, do me a favor will you, since you're heading back there. This morning's mail has come in, and Naruto should probably get it before he finishes up. He never likes going back and doing more taxes, after he's done a whole set of them. The guy kinda of complains a bit much, if you ask me, but that makes him Naruto." Hinata laughed with the other female, taking the letters held out for her.

"I'll be glad to help out."

"Thanks so much," Tenten sighed. "This place is never really packed much, but I don't like leaving the register if I can help it. But whatever. My shift will be over in a while anyways, and then I've gotta head out and buy something for Lee."

"How is your fiance these days?," Hinata asked. She would prefer to go see Naruto immediately, so she could talk to him before her own shift started, but she didn't want to offend Tenten. The brunette had become a good acquaintance, almost a friend, to her ever since she started working at the store. And the Hyuuga really needed some good friends, so she didn't want to ruin any of the relationships she had going on here.

Tenten smiled. "You know, Hinata, you don't have to sit around and act like your interested. I know you're itching to go talk to the boss before shift change, and that's fine by me. I'm not going to be hurt or anything. But since you did ask, I'll keep my answer short. Lee's doing good. His gym with his former highschool teacher is doing quite well, even if they're only pulling in freakish body builder types. Tonight's his birthday, so I hope to get him something special."

"That's great to hear. I hope you find the perfect gift then. And... thank you, for understanding," Hinata responded. The cashier only grinned.

"I'll be sure to get you to come to the wedding, so no excuses 'kay Hinata? But whatever... run along now. Get to what you came to do," The brunette shooed. The shorter female bowed her head respectively, and tapped off to the back room. Hinata was walking around a shelf of mythology and folklore, when she knocked into a smaller body. She gasped in surprise, catching herself before she fell over.

"Pardon me. Are you alright?,"she asked. The kid's hood was pulled over the individual's face, so she couldn't see who they were, but she had the distinct feeling that they were staring at her.

"Fine," came the muttered reply, from a slightly scowling mouth. The Hyuuga was about to press further, ready to scold the boy for not properly apologizing (oh, the degradation of manners among the youth these days) when the pre-teen stepped past her, disappearing among another stack of books. Confused, Hinata decided to let it go, walking the last of the distance to the back door, and knocking three times before entering. Unaware, the child stalked up to the door behind her, ear pressed up to the crack to hear what was happening.

* * *

The office as it called, really was just a small square room with a desk crammed into it (don't ask how they managed to get the thing in there), barely any walking space between the walls, desk and door. Stepping lightly, Hinata avoided the trash bin by the door, taking three tiny steps up to the desk. Naruto was hunched over a calculator, pounding away at the keys as he did his math. Hearing the door swing close, he sighed, and placed the handful of bills he had off to the side where they teetered on the edge. "Oh, hey Hinata," Naruto greeted. "What can I do you for?"

The raven tipped her head forward, returning the blonde's smile. "I...I j-just wanted to talk to y-you about ye-yesterday," she stuttered, breaking eye contact with the Uzumaki for a moment.

"Hinata," Naruto began, "You don't have to-"

"No, I do!," The Hyuuga shouted. She gasped, blushed, and quickly stammered a string of apologies. She started over again a few seconds later. "N-no, you don't understand. I h-have to tell you... i-if I don't, I'm af-afraid I'll have to leave. So... please, ju-just let m-me talk." Naruto nodded, clasping his hands in front of him. Then he smiled encouragingly. The woman sighed, feeling calmer from that smile. "N-neji Hyuuga... is my cousin. Once upon a time, we were close, you could say that we were almost inseperable. He was my friend, my family, and yet at the same time, he was the only one I could say that I loved; nevermind the fact that I was too young to really understand the concept of romance. He... h-he was my everything. I trusted him so much, shared with him everything.... A-and he would do the same for me, he pro-protected me, he t-taught me things."

Hinata broke for a second, taking several deep breaths. Reflecting on the past, made her only realize how much had been lost, how much had changed over time. And it hurt, oh how it hurt. But she had to continue, she had to finish because she couldn't keep this in any longer. "T-then one day...," she paused, choked down a sob, "One day, he changed. H-he started distancing himself from me and everybody else, until we barely knew who he was any more. He started spending more and more time at school, even when it had let out. The day his father died, and the funeral and burial he missed because he chose to stay behind at school those days as well. My cousin, who had always been there for me, had become a cold, dead thing." Hinata was unaware that the more she talked, the less she stuttered, and the colder her tone got. Just as Neji had withdrawn from the family, the black-haired female also had distanced herself from the man she had once known as her cousin.

"I tried my best, to get back my cousin. I really did. But he would not listen to anyone, me especially. I finally gave up when he betrayed my family by stealing my father's company out from under our noses while the president was in the hospital, near death. I cut off all ties with the others, and ...then, I met you." Naruto was looking at her a little stunned, but the Hyuuga smiled broadly, cheeks coloring pink. "You don't need to worry at all, Naruto-san. I-I've been so much happier since I met you, and I've really, r-really wanted to say th-that i-I.... love you," the raven breathed. She blinked slowly, catching her breath, and trying to calm her racing heart. When she focused again on Naruto, her heart throbbed painfully for the apologetic smile the blonde was giving her.

* * *

_'So, her words at the funeral had been true.'_ After bumping into the Hyuuga heiress, Kyuubi was curious to see what she would do, especially since she walked right for Naruto's office. He had sidled up to the door, pressing his ear up to the crack to better hear the conversation. What the pre-teen had not expected was a revealing of the raven's past, and a confession to boot. A slow-smouldering fury bubbled through the red-head's veins, fists clenched. How dare that Hyuuga say she loved the Uzumaki, how could she understand what it felt to love the man?

Kyuubi bit his lip to silence his outrage at the woman's statement, glaring down at the floor between his sneakered feet. He wanted to storm right into that tiny office and shove Hinata away from Naruto. But he knew that action would only anger the blonde, and he didn't want to do that. And.... and a part of the boy was afraid. What was Naruto going to say in response? Would he.... would he accept the Hyuuga's love? And if he did.... w-would that mean he'd be.... forgotten? _'Don't accept it, Naruto! Don't say that you love her back..._ _p-please....'_

"I'm really sorry Hinata...." That was Naruto's voice! Kyuubi blinked at the heat in his eyes, heart and breath stuck as he waited.... waited for what the man was going to say next.

"I wish I could say that I love you back... in that way," the Uzumaki apologized. "But I can't. And it's not that I don't care about you, it's just.... Well, I might as well explain since you shared with me something personal. The thing is, Hinata... I am, well... gay. I don't and can't like woman in a romantic way. I'm sorry."

"I-it's okay...," came Hinata's stutter. A sniffle. "T-thank yo-you for t-telling mmmm-me the t-truth," she whispered politely.

He'd heard enough. Kyuubi pushed away from the wall, walking dazedly to the cashier. The woman there looked over her magazine at him. "Can I help you?," she asked. The red-head nodded.

"....paper," he muttered. "And pen," he added. The brunette gave them to him, and the pre-teen quickly scribbled a note down, handing the paper and pen back to the cashier. "This is for Naruto," he told her, not giving her a chance to reply, he turned and pushed open the shop door, exiting onto the street. He wasn't aware of his surroundings, his feet unconsciously taking him back to Naruto's house.

**_"...I am, well... gay"_**

The Uzumaki was gay. He was a homosexual, he slept with men. He had sex by taking it up the ass. He didn't like women like the rest of society. It stunned him, but a tiny rational part of Kyuubi wiggled its way through the haze, and wondered why this knowledge didn't disturb him as it should have. The red-head came to a stop at an intersection, and looking up he caught a glimpse of his reflection through his peripheral vision on a shop window. He was... smiling! The haze was starting to lift, and common sense was beginning to kick in. Of course, it was clear now. He wasn't disgusted by information about Naruto being gay, couldn't possibly be disturbed by it, because it meant that the blonde wouldn't be stolen away by some woman. Naruto would be his.

* * *

Naruto stared at the sticky note, re-reading the simple sentence that had been written on it again for the fiftieth time that day. Tenten had given it to him on her way out, just as he had been starting to sweep the store for Kyuubi. Blue eyes crinkled in puzzlement, and the blonde sighed, tossing the note somewhere. He couldn't understand why the boy had decided to leave for home by himself, but either way it disappointed the man. He had actually been looking forward to spending the day with the red-head, and possibly going out to get some ramen for lunch.

The Uzumaki sighed again, shaking his head. Whatever. He had things to do now. He'd think about Kyuubi later, when he got home. The thought that at least the pre-teen would be there when he got home cheered the blonde up a bit, and he pulled the last of the bills and mail toward him. _'You know what...,'_ Naruto thought to himself, flipping through the mail, _'Maybe the kid was right going back home. There's no fun in bills.'_ Tan fingers halted at a crisp white envelope, Uzumaki Naruto typed neatly on the envelope, no sender.

"What's this?," Naruto pondered, yanking the letter out from the others. He took a pen and successfully ripped the top open, pulling out the paper inside. A blonde eyebrow rose in disbelief, before it started to twitch sporadically. "What the hell?! That guy actually sent me a bill for his fucking shoes!"

Naruto growled, slapping the dry cleaner's bill onto the desk and glaring death at the pink slip. The nerve of that Uchiha bastard, actually sending him a bill for shoes! Shoes, dammit. He thought only woman cared so much about their shoes! The Uzumaki sighed irritably, plopping his head on the desk. "Jeez... I never knew people could be such dicks. I'd hate to meet the rest of his family," the blonde mumbled**(2)**, reaching over and grabbing his checkbook. At least Neji Hyuuga (The blonde had to admit that he didn't like the long-haired man, after hearing the truth about him from Hinata, but a customer was a customer and you just had to deal with these kind of assholes when working in goods and services. That reasoning, plus Hinata's assurance, was the only reason Naruto was going to use the money the Hyuuga had given him) had been wise enough to forsee this circumstance and added that bonus onto his paycheck, or else Naruto would have to spend three months worth of income on a pair of bloody shoes. Shoes!!

He really couldn't wait to get home now. Today was just a bit much for him, thank you very much.

**C.M.D: Ooh, boy. This chapter was a little difficult to write, but it is done, and I can at least say that I am quite satisfied with it. Things to take note of:  
(1) I am in no way an auto junkie. Cars and motorcycles and such, are nice and all, but I really can't wrap my mind around them all that much. Maybe later on in life I'll take up more of an interest in them, and study until I know all the facts, but for the time being you guys are going to have to put up with my cluelessness in the auto category. And if I made no sense whatsoever when trying to describe the bike and stuff, I apologize. That would be because of my dumbness toward them. I won't be fixing anything though... too lazy...  
(2) Heh... irony...  
Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Be sure to review, tell me what you think, and I'll see you all next update. JA!!^ ^**


	7. Reflections

**C.M.D: Alrighty, were on to the 7th chapter of Wayward Son. Yay~!! I'm happy to get this story moving. Okay, time for the thank you's. THANK YOU: cluelessninja65, xDelta-Ha-chanx, hanakisa, sessholove4lyf, kai, Dragon77, AttackoftheRamen, My Solitude, and Reader One. I love reading all of your reviews, especially the devoted readers who constantly review every chapter. It makes me happy, and helps inspire me to get cracking with the writing. And thanks too, to everyone reading who hasn't reviewed. Knowing people are at least coming and checking out the fanfic pleases me greatly. Right... so, enjoy the update!!**

**xx-X Reflections X-xx  
**

The tires screeched as Naruto swerved into his parking spot, killing the engine and pulling off his helmet. An evening breeze rustled through his spikes, drying off the film of sweat along his brow. Whistling to himself, and ignoring the chill seeping through his open jacket, the blonde tied his helmet to the handlebars; grabbing his keys out of the ignition and the bags tied to the back of the motorcycle. He jogged across the parking lot, and up the stairs of his five-story apartment, straight to his door. Despite the day's earlier bumps (Hinata's confession, Kyuubi's leaving, the dry-cleaning bill) Naruto was feeling good and looked forward to dinner. Which he probably should get started on since it was already dark.

Grinning, the Uzumaki put the key into the slot, walking into his apartment. "I'm back!," he called cheerfully. A mumbled 'hi' came from the kitchen and Naruto turned the corner to see Kyuubi seated at the table, school work spread out all over every available inch of the surface.

"Wow... hard at work, huh?"

Kyuubi looked up from a package on acid-base equilibrium, blinking at the blonde before glancing to the side. "Yeah...," the preteen replied. "Sorry about leaving...," he added on.

Naruto smiled, placing his bags onto the floor and helping the Uchiha tidy up. "It's no problem," the man assured. "I can understand what it's like being stuck in a room with a bunch of books, and being bored out of your mind. You're young; you want to get out and do things."

The younger male looked like he wanted to say something, but instead the preteen grabbed the pile they had made and walked off to the bedroom. Scratching at his head, Naruto decided to let Kyuubi's indecisive silence to slide; and pulled a cookbook off of the top of the fridge, sitting at the table and cracking the book open. "What do you feel like eating?," he asked Kyuubi when the boy came back into the room.

Kyuubi walked over and pulled out a seat. "Anything's fine," the preteen replied. Naruto pouted, lightly smacking the other male on the shoulder. "C'mon! I'm offering, so accept! Now, what do you want for dinner tonight?"

The Uchiha rolled his eyes, planting his chin into the palm of his hand. "Chicken?," he proposed. The blonde gave the child a bland look, trying hard not to break out smiling. Kyuubi could be very funny (not to mention kind of adorable) when he was trying not to impose. Shaking his head, Naruto got up and marched to the fridge. As non-descript and unenthusiastic as that was, the Uzumaki was going to take that as his house guest's choice of meal... now he just had to see if he actually had any chicken.

"Well, aren't you lucky," Naruto grinned, turning his head to the Uchiha. "We've got chicken breasts! Care for a cream of mushroom stirfry?" Receiving a shrug of confirmation from the red-head, Naruto pulled out of the fridge, chicken breast and a bundle of vegetables in hand. He spread them out across the counter, and grabbing his knife and cutting board, set to chopping the greens into suitable sizes. He poured handfuls of green beans, red peppers, broccoli, and carrots into a wok, turning on the heat and working on the chicken.

The kitchen was quiet while the blonde worked, the only sounds running water and the sizzling and sputtering of cooking food. Naruto turned to glance at Kyuubi several times, only to see the boy sitting rigidly at the table, eyes closed as if he were asleep. Unable to start up a conversation, which was unusual for the Uzumaki, Naruto let the silence remain while he continued to cook._ 'Okay.... that's it!,'_ he thought, tossing the vegetables about in the wok. "Kyuubi?"

The kid perked up in his seat, turning to face the blonde. "Would you mind doing me a favor, and turn on the radio please? It's right beside the toaster." Kyuubi turned his head in the mentioned direction, and sure enough there was a small radio tucked in nicely beside the toaster. Amazed he hadn't noticed it before, the Uchiha mutely walked up to electronic, pushing the power button. Immediately music flooded the room, chasing out the quiet, and Naruto crowed in delight; freaking the pre-teen out for a second.

"Man, I love this song!!," Naruto declared, pouring rice and cream of mushroom soup into the wok now, before starting to sing along with the radio. He was singing loudly, a little off key, belting out proudly _'I almost got drunk at school at fourteen, where I almost made out with the homecoming Queen~'_. Suddenly, the blonde was dancing around the kitchen, grabbing Kyuubi by the hand and pulling the child into a jig. The man spun them around the table, and was feeling super happy when the blood-haired boy finally smirked in amusement.

Then, Kyuubi looked over his shoulder, and the smile faltered a bit. "The food is starting to smoke."

"Wha?!" The Uchiha was released, as Naruto scrambled to the pots, salvaging their dinner as best as he could. Kyuubi returned to the table, and sat smirking the entire time, even when the blonde set the table and brought their slightly burnt dinner over.

"Sorry," Naruto apologized. "I didn't mean to burn the food." Kyuubi said nothing, just dug in, and Naruto frowned a bit. He had been in such a good mood and really hoped to make something good for the pre-teen, but he had only ended up overcooking it. Something he hadn't done in ages. It kind of hurt his pride, and having the boy say nothing kind of made it worse. "Maybe take-out would be better...," he mumbled.

Blue orbs caught the red-head looking at him, and Naruto blinked right back at the child. "I like it," Kyuubi said plainly after a moment. "Don't run up your phone bill." Then, the pre-teen went back to eating.

Naruto blinked again, before slowly, smiling. The boy was so sweet, and taking a bite, the blonde could see that the food hadn't turned out that bad. It just looked bad on the outside. The Uzumaki munched away at his dinner, happy again, looking up confusingly when he saw that Kyuubi had stopped eating again. This time the child was wrinkling his nose at the stirfry.

"What? Is it that bad?"

"Carrots....," came the disgruntled reply. "There are carrots in this."

Naruto grinned foxily. "What, you don't like carrots?" The Uchiha glared at the man, but said nothing. It was obvious that was the case. "C'mon, eat them. They're good for you. Just plug your nose and swallow them down."

Kyuubi gave the blonde a weird look, and Naruto laughed. "What, haven't you ever tried that before? Ever kid does it when they have to eat vegetables they don't like. Go ahead," he encouraged, "Don't worry about table manners. It's just you and me after all."

The pre-teen seemed hesitant, but ended up doing it anyways. The Uzumaki grinned broader, chuckling under his breath at how cute the boy was. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?," he asked, after Kyuubi had swallowed. "I wonder just how you managed eating carrots when you were back home."

"I didn't."

"Huh?," Naruto said, confused at Kyuubi's two-worded reply.

Kyuubi blinked, pushing his food around on his plate. "My father hates carrots too. So, we never eat them," he explained.

"Wow.... evasive much?"

A small dark grin appeared on the child's face, and Kyuubi let out a tiny snort. "Just abit...."

Naruto sat up straight in alarm. It seemed the conversation was turning south, and the last thing he wanted to do was make the child think about the negatives of his previous home. Panicking about how he was going to break the tension and turn this dinner back into a pleasant meal, the blonde took the only course of action he could: he knocked his glass to the floor. The shattering of the glass shook both males, and Kyuubi glanced from the broken cup to the blonde, eyebrows raised in slight disbelief.

Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head as he was interrogated with those bloody orbs, that were clearly of accusing him of pointlessly destroying property to get away from the depressing conversation. "Couldn't help it," he laughed nervously. "I didn't know what else to do."

To the Uzumaki's surprise though, instead of Kyuubi blowing up like he thought the boy might, the child only rolled his eyes, chuckling quietly under his breath. "You're so foolish," the pre-teen mumbled, or at least that's what Naruto thought he mumbled. He wasn't going to ask, figuring he wasn't even supposed to hear it anyways (hence the whole muttering it under your breath). Instead he smiled brightly at the child, and dug back into his dinner. He'd worry about the glass afterwards. You know, he really liked carrots himself, such a pity Kyuubi didn't.

"Oh man," Naruto snorted, an idea coming to mind. Kyuubi gave him a weird look, and the blonde tried to elaborate on his outburst through his giggles. "You know carrots help your vision and stuff right? Well, I was just thinking about how your father must be squinting like a mole by now. Heh... I could just imagine..... some grumpy tight-ass with a pair of thick-rim glasses trying to be super tough though he's blind as a bat."

Kyuubi smirked at the description. "How perfect that would be....," he sighed in humor, starting to picture it in his mind as well.

* * *

The only thing that Sasuke wanted to do after coming home that night after work, was sleep. Normally he was the type of person who ran on only a few hours sleep and three cups of black coffee, but he felt especially drained today and wanted to nap. Not that he would. He had too much to do, and the Uchiha wouldn't waste any time sleeping when there was work to be done. It didn't even matter if he couldn't probably concentrate the more time passed since his son's disappearance.

Sasuke scowled, and angrily threw his stuff at the waiting maid when he entered his house. It hadn't bothered him so much that his son had gone missing, but he had been feeling a bit stretched out ever since Hyuuga mentioned it at the book showing. Apparently, Neji had a negative affect on all manner of topics... especially when the sadistic bastard was right. The maid carrying his jacket was twittering around him, calling his name, and the raven finally turned to her.

"What?," he growled, not really caring to hear what she had to say.

The woman, a pretty little brunette, paled and gulped audibly. "I-I'm sorry sir!," she stuttered. _'Not sorry enough,' _Sasuke thought. _'Or you wouldn't be talking to me in the first place.' _As if hearing his thoughts, the maid hurried to get out what she wanted to say without stumbling over her words too much. "T-there's a guest in your office, sir! He-he wouldn't leave, so the staff located him there. P-please, forgive us for the inconvenience." And with that said, the girl quickly turned and fled out of sight.

Sasuke spun on his heel, heading toward his office. He wouldn't say he was giddy... but he was definitely curious, and hoped that the guest was Kakashi coming to give him good news about his son. The sooner the brat was found, the sooner life could return to normal. The raven grabbed at the knob, swinging the door open.... and stopping past the threshold. Anger flared inside of the Uchiha, changing his bad day to worse. One thing for sure, the surprise guest wasn't the Hatake.

"What are you doing here?," Sasuke hissed. Itachi, the guest the maid had mentioned, was sitting at his desk, and raised his head at the demand. The shorter raven felt his temple pulse, his anger doubling at the mere sight of his sibling. "I'm not aware of how you managed to convince the staff to let you stay, but I surely haven't given you permission to enter my house. Leave."

Itachi blinked at his young brother, shaking his head. "Still holding a grudge against me, I see."

"Get out."

Itachi refused to reply to the command, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. Being with his brother made him tense, as he was sure it did to the younger one as well, obviously for different reasons. He didn't come to get into an argument, that wasn't his intention. And he surely didn't want to be wasting his time with redundant bickering when he was already tired and done with the day as well. Now if only Sasuke would stop being so difficult.... "I came to visit my nephew. You've been refusing us meetings, so I thought an impromptu visit would have to do. I hoped to be gone before you returned home... but apparently I'm denied even that small hope. Why didn't you tell me Madara was missing?," Itachi questioned, piercing Sasuke with a serious stare.

"My son is not missing," was Sasuke's reply.

The older Uchiha's eyes narrowed, displeased with that uncaring, untruthful remark. "Don't try to bullshit your way out of this. I want answers, Sasuke, and faking denial will not help your cause."

"Don't you dare try to order me around in my own house!," the smaller raven snapped. "I don't have to listen to you!!"

"You don't listen to anyone as it!," Itachi growled back. "Can you, for one minute, act like a normal human being and care about your son?!"

Sasuke flinched, and glared heatedly at his older brother. "What does it matter to you? He's my son! And you do not have the right to see him!"

Itachi slammed his fist on top the desk, scattering papers. "I have a damn right!!," he shouted. "He's my nephew, little brother, and I will not allow you to keep him from me! But obviously, it's too late, because your restraining hold has already lost you your own son."

Sasuke swung his fist back, pounding it into the wall and cracking the plaster around the doorframe. The only show of his overwhelming rage. "Get out of my house," he hissed for a third time. "You are not welcome here."

Itachi scowled, regaining his composure after exploding, and looked like he wanted to say more but instead he sighed. "....Sasuke... how long will you blame me for mom and dad's death?," he asked. The older raven looked wearier now, the lines around his eyes and mouth more prominent.

That shut up Sasuke, and slowly, numbly, the man brought his fist back down to his side. His anger was still there, but deeper, and quieter. He hadn't thought much about his parents and having Itachi mention their death cut open old wounds, exposing hate so strong that he wasn't even able to express it. The silence stretched on between the two males for a few minutes, until Sasuke -with his eyes mere slits now- glanced up and focused on his brother. The older man wasn't even looking at him anymore, instead was studying his mail. The younger raven opened his mouth to comment, but was cut-off before he could even make a sound.

"...Uzumaki? Sasuke...how long have you been harassing Naruto?" Itachi's expression showed his general shock and displeasure, and Sasuke felt himself become confused.

"What are you talking about...?"

"Little brother....," Itachi rose out of his seat, holding the envelope still, ignoring the dark look aimed at him. "You can not tell me that you honestly have forgotten?" When Sasuke didn't answer, the older man shook his head and placed the envelope back onto the desk with the rest of the mail.

"Never mind.... it doesn't matter...," Itachi sighed.

Sasuke huffed, folding his arms over his chest. He'd grown tired of his brother's company. "Are you done?," he asked coldly. "I want you to leave."

Itachi returned his sibling's glare, straightening out his suit. "I'm going," he replied. He didn't want to leave, but he had no choice. He knew he wasn't welcome, and he wouldn't force his presence where it wasn't wanted. That, he had learned to accept as he grew older and matured. Sasuke still had many things to learn....

He marched across the room, and on his way past Sasuke, his younger brother muttered, "I never want to see your face again."

"You never do...," Itachi responded. He stopped, directly beside the smaller raven. "But Sasuke...," he waited until the shorter head of black hair tilted in his direction, "if I find out in any way that Naruto comes to harm because of you...."

Itachi grabbed Sasuke and slammed the other against the wall, just as the other raven managed to wrap his arms around his sibling's to break free from the hold. Sasuke coughed in pain, unable to properly get free of Itachi's grip despite his attempts, glaring up at the taller male. "If anything happens to Naruto," Itachi reiterated, pressing harder onto his little brother's ribcage, "there'll be hell to pay. Believe me, Sasuke. Do as you will with Madara, but Naruto is nothing like your son."

He released the younger raven, quickly striding out of the room, not even bothering to look back. Maids scurried ahead of him, hurrying to get the older Uchiha's car ready for the man's departure. As Itachi walked down the mansion's front steps, he couldn't help but scowl at his own attitude back in the office. He knew Sasuke had a tendency to blow up, but Itachi had always been good at keeping his cool. Everything that had happened with Madara, and this unexpected news with Naruto.... just really dug into his skin. He'd overcome the guilt and regret of his parents' passing years ago... why couldn't Sasuke? Why did his only brother need to make him the villain?

Itachi sighed again, brushing off the attentive hands of the butler and getting into his car. He had grown up... now he only wished Sasuke would.

* * *

Sasuke paced about his office angrily, glaring death at any of the servants that approached his office. It was bad enough that his private space had been violated by his intolerable brother, but he had been also verbally and physically harassed by that traitor. He certainly didn't want to deal with the idiots that had allowed the man to stay in his house.

Sasuke slammed his door shut, not wanting to see the face of his stupid staff, stomping over and collapsing in his office chair. His back stung at the movement, and the raven bit his knuckle to keep from growling. He hated Itachi, the very presence of his sibling was poison to him and he had cut all ties off with the older raven years ago. But apparently it meant nothing, since the other Uchiha kept butting into his life, interrupting things as he did.... dragging up memories that Sasuke would rather be forgotten.

Speaking of which....

Sasuke picked through the mail on his desk, picking up the envelope that Itachi had been looking at only hours before. Uzumaki Naruto was written up in the return address, the name that had sparked Itachi to get off topic and act even more hostile toward his little brother. What was the connection between the blonde and the older Uchiha?

"_If anything happens to Naruto, there'll be hell to pay."_

And why was Itachi so protective of him. Sasuke scowled at the questions before him, ripping open the envelope and reading the crude note that came along with the check for his shoes. Nothing in the note written by the blonde gave the black-haired man any clues as to how this Uzumaki man might be significant enough for Itachi to even know, but that only frustrated Sasuke further. He wanted answers.

"_You can not tell me you honestly have forgotten?"_

Making up his mind, the raven snatched for his phone, stabbing in the phone number. If Itachi refused to give him answers, then Sasuke would get them himself. His brother's protectiveness over the golden-haired stranger be damned! The other line made a click as someone answered, and Sasuke tightened his grip on the receiver.

"Kakashi... there's something I need for you to do..."

* * *

Kyuubi stared up at the ceiling, counting as for the thirtieth time that night a set of car lights roamed over the room as a vehicle passed on the street outside. He couldn't sleep. He tried rolling over, switching positions, even doing that juvenile thing of counting sheep.... nothing worked. His mind just couldn't come to a standstill, and the racing of his thoughts filled him with enough adrenaline that he didn't even feel remotely tired. At the moment, he was mostly thinking about how today had went.

He was starting to feel guilty for having ditched Naruto earlier, which was strange to the boy. He never felt regretful of anything he had ever did... unless he was feeling regretful about not having punched out the snob in his class or not slipping that cobra into his parents' bed while they were sleeping. But again, that was a different matter all together.

Kyuubi sighed, and shifted a bit, clasping his hand over his chest. He probably could have rolled over, but he was most comfortable lying on his back and he desperately wished to fall asleep. If only so he could have some rest from his own thoughts.

Now he was thinking about dinner time. He had seen some things that he had not expected to see any man behave, and definitely had been more than a little acutely aware of how different Naruto was acting. Well, yes, the blonde was still being idiotic and kind and such... but now there was a bit of a difference to it. As if Naruto was a little tense around him, and unsure of how to act. ....Or maybe he was just over-analyzing things as he started to realize his own guilt at having simply abandoned the Uzumaki that day.

The pre-teen frowned at the ceiling now, and sat up, staring at the bedroom door. He didn't want things to be weird between him and Naruto. He needed the man; afterall he was his shelter, his food source... his freedom. He wasn't about to let that go, but how would he respond if his host suddenly didn't want him? Without thinking it over too much, Kyuubi slid out of bed and padded across the room, cracking the door open slowly. Back in his bedroom he hadn't been aware of the silence, but out here, where the ticking of the clock echoed in the dark of the house, the boy was brought to reality about its presence. An involuntary shiver ran down his spine. The quiet reminded him of the first day he spent here without Naruto, but this time it was worse.... because the blonde was here, and the silence was eerily out of place. Almost like a premonition of doom.

Kyuubi shook his head. He was scaring himself silly. As quiet as he could, the blood-haired boy walked to the living room, standing awkwardly in the doorway. Naruto was sprawled out across the pull-out couch, squeezing his pillow tightly against the side of his face. The most amusing night cap was pulled haphazardly on the blonde's head, only letting a few golden strands out from under the white brim. The Uzumaki mumbled something in his sleep, unconsciously wiping at the strand of drool starting to dribble down his chin, rolling over in his sleep. Kyuubi tensed for those few moments, but when it became clear that Naruto wasn't going to wake anytime soon, he relaxed again.

He wanted to step past the threshold and approach the blonde. Perhaps shake him awake, and apologize again, this time not letting the man brush him off. But the boy couldn't muster the strength to take that first step. It felt like there was some sort of barrier between the two of them; keeping Naruto protected and safe.... and keeping him out. Feeling strangely depressed, the pre-teen turned away from the living room, heading into the bathroom. The door clicked shut behind him, and turning on the light, Kyuubi turned to face himself in the mirror. His reflection blinked back, the same as ever, but the frustration was there in his eyes.

"_I wonder just how you managed eating carrots when you were back home."_

"_I didn't."_

"_Huh?"_

"_My father hates carrots too...."_

Kyuubi grit his teeth, glaring at his self in the glass. If it hadn't been for Naruto's unorthodox diversion, he would have lost himself to those very thoughts that were plaguing him now. His words at that time, when he was explaining his dislike for carrots... had only once again revealed their connection to his father. Heat was slowly starting to flood the boy's body, and settled up in his brain.

Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out and touched the glass, hands framing the reflection of his face. Everything he did, everything that he was... seemed to reveal more and more of his father. And what did that leave him with then? Who was he? "I am... myself," he whispered, " ...Aren't I?"

His fingers desperately traced his features, but in vain. He could see it now... the features of him stolen from his father. The bastard image of that man that was embedded into him. Kyuubi's breathing turned into huffing, and clenching his fists, the child banged them against the mirror. The glass echoed with a deep boom, the surface breaking out into a spider web of cracks. Realization hit, and Kyuubi quickly pulled his hands away from the mirror, listening worriedly. He began to calm down when there were no sounds of Naruto being awake, turning his attention back to the shattered mirror.

His frustration was still there, and the boy felt his slow smoldering anger reignite itself. He believed he had found freedom, now that he was away from his parents. But apparently it wasn't enough. Physically running away from that hated home didn't constitute freedom. To actually get his freedom he needed to do more than just become a street kid. He needed to break the copy of his father that was bred within him; he needed to kill it, destroy it until not even ashes remained. Then he needed to show Naruto a person that anyone could truly be happy of, that words and actions of selflessness would not be wasted on.

More than anything.... Kyuubi needed to become a person like that, something different than himself right now. His own identity..... beyond a Uchiha. He didn't want to be trapped in the image of his father.

**C.M.D: So... some of you thought Sasuke was a jerk last chapter, I wonder what your opinion will be of him now? Lol  
My, my, my... so many questions you've all asked, none of which I've yet answered really, and here I am throwing in more bits of mystery. I feel kinda evil!XD Don't worry though, I swear to clear everything up. ...At the end....  
Anyways, hope you like the chapter. I knew what I was generally going to write for this chapter, but when I started everything came out kind of funny, especially the beginning. I only really like the last half. Lol I made Kyuubi kinda emo.... not that it's really _that_ hard, but whatever... So yeah... Hope you guys enjoyed this. I hope you're gnashing your teeth over all the questions, and I await to read your reviews, so remember to leave some comments.  
Alright, talk to all again next update. Have a good day guys! Ja ne!!**


	8. Sick

**C.M.D: Alright, well it's been a while since I've updated, but hey, at least it hasn't been a year! So, thank you time. THANKS FOR REVIEWING: DemonTail300, InzanityRulz, My Solitude, UkeNaruto, -siafaerie-101-miss, hanakisa, kai and cluelessninja65. Thanks to everyone else who is reading this fanfic, even if you haven't reviewed. Enjoy the latest update!**

**xx-X SICK X-xx  
**

"I dislike shopping."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not very fond of waking up to glass all over my bathroom floor."

"It was an accident...."

"It was a mirror! A mirror doesn't just fall to pieces because of an accident."

Kyuubi scowled, digging his hands into his pockets and refusing to reply. Naruto said nothing in turn, crossing his arms over his chest in irritation. The redhead knew he was in the wrong, but he wasn't about to apologize. It was only a mirror after all.... why did the blonde have to get so worked up about such a little thing?

Well.... maybe it had to do with the fact that when Naruto had woken up that morning, his trip to the bathroom had been halted because of the glass shards that littered the floor. Apparently, some time after the Uchiha had gone back to sleep, the spiderweb cracks running across the mirror's face had deepened, until the glue couldn't hold the heavier pieces in place no more. The shouts of surprise had jolted him out of bed.

Naruto sniffed, pulling a piece of paper out of his coat pocket. In his chicken scratch, it depicted the measurements of the late bathroom mirror. Kyuubi wondered how anyone, the man himself, was able to read such scribbling; following the blonde as he turned down yet another aisle. Bedroom, Bath and Beyond -though a nice department store- was somewhat ridiculous in its size and slightly poor in its organizations._ 'Why can't they simply divide it into two sides. Bath on the left, and Bedroom on the right,'_**(1)** Kyuubi thought, glaring at the sight of yet another brightly colored bedroom display as they exited the aisle.

"Do you even know where you're going?," the preteen asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of his tone. It didn't work very well.

"No," came Naruto's clipped reply. He started into the next aisle, Kyuubi close on the man's tail. Different types of plumbing and knobs hung from racks in this aisle. At least they were getting close.... But even if they were getting close, this whole trip was becoming tediously boring. Kyuubi didn't want to be here any longer. But how to get Naruto to listen to him....

"I'm hungry," came a weak, tired whimper from behind the blonde. Naruto stopped, turning around. He caught the gaze of two sullen orbs, and shifted his feet nervously.

He felt bad, really bad. He'd pulled the preteen out of bed this morning after finding the bathroom littered in glass, without even waiting for breakfast before heading off to the store. Naruto sighed, reaching over and patting the kid's head. "You make it damn hard to stay angry," he confessed. "But I need to get this mirror replaced. I promise we'll eat after, alright?"

Naruto turned back around, continuing his search for a bathroom mirror, and Kyuubi hesitantly followed. The Uchiha was conflicted.... He was happy that he could get the Uzumaki to acknowledge him and listen to his demands, but he felt unsatisfied, because the blonde was still able to refuse him. Was the man more difficult to control than he had thought? There was a cry of joy, and looking up, Kyuubi realized that they had finally entered an aisle with mirrors. Naruto was flitting from each one, focusing on the rectangular ones, trying to find one of the right size. The child slowly trailed behind, glancing at each of the mirrors. They were in an assortment of sizes, the overhanging lights of the store reflecting brightly off of their surfaces.

"Kyuubi, come over here," Naruto beckoned. Kyuubi complied, stepping up just behind the blonde. The man was holding a mirror in his hands, turning it a little this way and that, as he examined it. "It's a little big but.... What do you think?"

Naruto turned around and held the mirror before the preteen. "The size is a couple centimeters bigger than what I need, but I think it'll work just fine. Not to be vain or anything, but I do need to make sure I'm presentable in the morning." Kyuubi said nothing, looking from his reflection to the man and back again.

Naruto too, fell quiet for a moment, reaching out and rubbing at the child's cheek. The Uchiha froze, unsure of what to do. Kyuubi felt his breath hitch in his chest, as Naruto moved the mirror to the side, leaning in closer. "You're face is kind of dirty....," the man remarked, thumb rubbing softly at the boy's skin.

Kyuubi said nothing. He had purposely not washed his face that morning, padding more dirt on his face when Naruto had dragged him outside. He knew it was suspicious, but it was all for precaution's sake. The redhead would tread carefully in this present time... It seemed like Naruto was waiting for a reply, for when Kyuubi made contact with the sky blue eyes, they were staring at him patiently. Shrugging lightly, the Uchiha pulled away from the gentle contact, yanking at his hood so that it fell almost all the way to his eyes. "I don't want to be recognized....," he murmured quietly.

He wasn't even sure that Naruto had heard him, but before the man had straightened up, the boy saw an understanding smile pull at the Uzumaki's lips. Understanding.... not sympathy. Kyuubi drew his shoulders up tight, tucking his chin in, glad for the black fabric that covered him. He could pretend to be invisible underneath it all.

"Let's go buy this thing and get out of here!," Naruto cried, lifting the mirror up into his arms. Kyuubi nodded his head in agreement. "I promised lunch too, didn't I? So what would you like?"

The preteen had to think about it for a moment. He didn't know many meals outside from the ones his parents had been feeding him all his life.... and he doubted that Naruto would be able to pay for the type of food he was used to eating. And other than the few dishes he'd been eating since he came under Naruto's care, he didn't know any else. Well, actually.... Kyuubi lifted his chin, trying to meet Naruto's eyes depsite his bangs and the hanging lip of his hoodie.

"I'd like a Big Mac."

Naruto laughed. "One heart attack, it is."

* * *

Iruka walked into the kitchen, stretching his arms with a small yawn and dropping his briefcase to the floor. He made his way to the coffee percolator, emptying the old coffee grinds and replacing them with fresh ones. Pouring a pot of water into the machine, Iruka turned the percolator on and waited for it to make his coffee. He turned around, intent on heading to the fridge, jumping with a start when he saw Kakashi sitting at the dinner table.

"I wasn't aware you were home yet," Iruka confessed with a small giggle, feeling his heart begin to slow from the scare. "You scared me for a second."

The brunette was about to say something more, but paused, noticing his lover's rigid form. The grey-haired man sat hunched over in his chair, both hands nursing a cup of coffee. His expression was drawn. "Is everything alright?," Iruka asked, walking to the older man. "Kakashi?"

The security guard didn't look up from his mug. "You're aware of the Uchiha case, correct?," he replied.

Iruka placed his hands on top of the man's shoulders, giving them a comforting squeeze. "Yes," the teacher answered. "That poor boy.... I hope he's alright."

Kakashi gave a disdainful snort, surprising the Umino. "Knowing Sasuke, his son's probably exactly like him. I get the feeling that this kidnapping is just a set up by the parents."

"Kakashi," Iruka scolded. He smacked the ex-cop across the back, frowning. He didn't like what his lover had just said. The grey-haired man finally turned his head, looking at the brunette with sad eyes. Iruka felt whatever anger he had die at the sight of those pained orbs.

"Sasuke called me last night...," the Hatake sighed, reaching over and clasping one of Iruka's hands.

"Sasuke has been calling you often since his son went missing," the brunette noted. "Even though you are no longer on the force...."

"It wasn't about Madara this time."

Iruka's attention piqued at this. "Then why....?"

"He knows about Naruto, Iruka." The brunette gasped, feeling sick suddenly.

"H-how...."

"I don't know how," Kakashi answered, cutting his partner off. "But he knows. He asked me to do an investigation."

He needed to sit down. Iruka pulled away from Kakashi, the Hatake still holding his hand as he pulled out a chair and sat at the table. The Umino struggled to focus his thoughts, but a small trickling of fear made his head spin and his heart race. He held a hand to his mouth, taking a deep, shaky breath.

"Will you do it?," he finally managed to say.

"You know I can't," Kakashi replied, sounding hurt. He squeezed Iruka's hand, looking down at the table. "If I don't, Sasuke will simply get someone else to do it."

"I took the day off to see him, Iruka," the man continued. "He wasn't home. The entire day."

"D-did you try calling him?," the brunette asked. He wasn't even fully focusing on the conversation. His mind was stuck on thoughts of the rich Uchiha Tycoon, and the chaos that his blonde student was being pulled into.

"This isn't something that can be discussed over the phone. And it needs to be talked about, Iruka," Kakashi enforced, fixing his lover with a serious gaze. "We can't keep any more secrets from Naruto. We'll only put him in danger if we do."

Iruka swallowed sharply, feeling tears prick at his eyes. "Yes, I understand," the brunette conceded. The Hatake leaned across the table, kissing the teacher's forehead softly. The Umino leaned closer to the man, needing his comfort.

* * *

Naruto hummed to himself, scrolling through his phone. He glanced up at a woman passing by him, and smiled at her warmly, despite her disgruntled expression. When she had turned the corner, the blonde let his smile slip a bit, returning his attention back to his phone. There was no new messages from anyone at the shop, so that told him that everything was good. Either that, or things had gone horribly wrong and noone was able to contact him now.

He'd drop by the shop later, just to check up on things.... if Kyuubi ever got out of the washroom that is. They had to stop at the bathroom three times since lunch. And maybe that was the cause of it. Naruto chuckled, pushing the restroom door open a little and peeking inside. "You done yet?," he called.

A small, annoyed groan met his ears; informing him that, no, the preteen wasn't done yet. Smiling slightly still, Naruto closed the door again, blocking out the smell of urine and watered down cleaner. Why was it that public washrooms always smelled so weird? Even the women's had a nasty dirty-water and gross perfume smell to their restroom. But that was a matter to ponder for another day, Naruto decided, scrolling through his phone again. He went back to the main page for a second, to see the time, then returned to his menu. Each of Kyuubi's trips to the bathroom kept getting longer and longer. This one was going on fifteen minutes and counting. The blonde was finding himself getting bored._ 'And this is why I'm glad I don't have a girlfriend,'_ he thought to himself, opening up a game of solitaire.

When the Uchiha finally emerged from the restroom, feeling ill and distempered, it was to find Naruto squatting on the floor muttering angrily to a card game. "What are you doing?," the preteen asked.

The Uzumaki started at the question, turning his head around and smiling at the boy. "Oh, I didn't notice you had finished. Ready to go?," he said, getting to his feet. He stretched the kinks out of his body, turning to a slightly red-faced Kyuubi. "Are you feeling better now?," he asked, leaning toward the preteen.

He put a hand to Kyuubi's forehead, but the redhead pulled away from the contact. "I'm fine," he replied. Naruto straightened up, shrugging.

"If you say so. C'mon, since we're here I want to get some things. We should probably pick up some more clothes for you too," Naruto said, grabbing the mirror and starting down the hallway.

Kyuubi followed behind, rubbing at his dirt-streaked cheek. He hadn't meant to catch the man's attention, but watching Naruto stretch had caused his cheeks to suddenly burn. His blood-red orbs darted forward, to where the Uzumaki's shirt had risen up a little bit when he had stretched, before darting away again. There was still a bit of space between jeans and t-shirt, showing off the man's creamy skin. Was he gonna fix that? Kyuubi frowned, hesitantly reaching a hand out, before dropping it back down to his side. "Hey," he said, pulling up beside the blonde. "I can see your underwear."

"Wha?!" Naruto blushed, hastily pulling at his shirt and smoothing out the creases. He turned an embarrassed smile to the preteen. "Sorry about that. But thanks for the heads up, Kyu," the man replied, patting the hooded child's head. Kyuubi said nothing, but could feel another blush coming on. He had a nickname now....?

Naruto reached the door before him, and being courteous as he was, he held the door open for the Uchiha. The redhead walked out of the hallway, and back into the maddening hubbub of the mall. Scowling, he turned around to face the blonde. Naruto seemed unfazed by all the noise and activity going on around them, and shifting the mirror in his grip, he just pointed to the right and began walking in that direction.

"We'll head for Walmart. I need some toiletries and such, but then we can check out what clothes they have in afterwards," he said to Kyuubi, as the preteen drew up to his side again. "Alright?"

Kyuubi nodded. He didn't really care what happened today. He'd let Naruto do his thing, and hope that they'd be able to return home soon. He was tired still, and that Big Mac he'd eaten at lunch roiled uneasily in his stomach. A fourth trip to the bathroom might be necessary again soon....

Looking up, the Uchiha was surprised that Naruto was looking back at him. Concern lighted the blue eyes, and the redhead bowed his head to keep from looking into the azure orbs. The man slowed a bit, so that their steps fell in line together. "I'll get you some Gravol, ok? If you're not used to eating MacDonald's grease, it can really mess up your system," the blonde comforted. "But you'll be good in no time. A little bit of water and some Gravol and it'll fix you up right away."

Kyuubi lifted his head again, catching Naruto's smile before the blonde was facing forward. The Uzumaki was always so considerate of the boy, and it threw him._ 'Why?,'_ the preteen thought, grimacing slightly in confusion._ 'Why do you keep being so nice to me? What's in it for you?'_

But Naruto couldn't hear his projected thoughts, and so the preteen followed behind the man silently, unable to voice his concerns out loud.

* * *

Sasuke ignored the knock for the fiftieth time that day, blinking at his laptop screen. He was in the middle of balancing his checkbook at the moment, cross-referencing it with the financial records of his company. He scowled as his fingers danced across the keyboard, clacking in time with his movements, as he jumped from screen to screen, noting done the differences he saw in Word document. Another frantic knock at the door pulled the raven's gaze from the screen this time, but he only glared at the door, refusing to get up. A maid's voice carried through the wood, pleading with him to open the door, something about Sakura thrown into the mix there. Sasuke turned his head back to his work. If any of the hired help was banging on his door with news from his wife, then that was all the more reason to not unlock the door.

From one anger to the next, the Uchiha found himself scowling at the words printed across his screen. There were some inconsistencies in the reports and transfer receipts. He would have to perform a thorough investigation to make sure that these irregularities were merely a slip of effort, like an error in the financial records given by one of his subordinates, and not the signs of an embezzlement in the works. Either way, someone was likely to lose their job in the next few days.

Reaching for his phone, Sasuke found his actions halted as a raucous of noise erupted outside in the hallway. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore it, but the sound was getting louder. With carefully controlled annoyance, the raven leaned back into his seat, closing his laptop and folding his fingers together to wait.

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are?" That would be Sakura, shouting again. A few voices followed his wife's, servants trying to deter or calm the woman down. You think they would have learned by now. "Know your place! I am the lady of this household; it is me who you serve! If I want to see my husband, then I'm going to!!"

A cry, most likely from a maid that had stepped to close to Sakura. The woman had a habit of throwing the help around if they got too close while she was in one of her tempers. Finally, his wife reached the office door, pounding on it with her fist. Sasuke watched as the door bounced in its frame with each bang, frowning at the sight. It seemed Sakura's trainer was a little too good.... soon, a door wouldn't be able to keep that woman out.

"Sasuke, unlock this door!," Sakura screamed. "Unlock it this instance before I break it down."

Despite this threat, Sasuke remained where he was sitting. Let the banshee shriek all she wanted; he wasn't going to get up and tend to her whims. It was his money that gave her everything she wanted, if the woman had any common sense, she'd leave him to work. But apparently that was lacking, because Sakura was still banging on his door, yelling profanities through the wood. How much longer would she go on, Sasuke wondered, reaching up and rubbing one temple. Suddenly silence fell, and the raven tensed in his seate, listening, waiting to see what would happen. His wife never stopped mid-rant, unless she was changing tactics. The clicking of the lock rang out dully, and Sasuke let out a quick sigh as the door was thrown open, slamming off the adjacent wall.

"Real cute, Sasuke," Sakura hissed, looming in the doorway. Sasuke said nothing, returning the hard glare his wife was giving him.

Who the fuck gave her a key to his office?

The woman strutted into the room, heels clicking sharply even despite the carpeted floor, as she walked closer and closer to the raven. She flipped her pink hair over one shoulder, and again Sasuke was left to wonder how anyone could have naturally pink hair. A strawberry blonde with too much evil, perhaps? But he pushed that amusing thought aside, focusing on his wife, who had come to a stop at the foot of his desk.

"Bet you didn't think I had a key, did you?," she teased, flashing the mentioned key in front of his face, before pocketing it. "Just a little reminder for you, hubby. It's not just you that owns all this. Both of our names are on this property, and this money. You're going to have to show me so respect if you don't want me to wring you for every goddamn cent you have."

"Get out of my office," Sasuke growled in reply. He didn't take kindly to threats, especially those coming from his bitch ass legalized spouse. But Sakura did not care for his anger, remaining just where she was, a smug look upon her face.

"You just can't order me out like the others, _Sa-su-ke_."

Too bad murder was a crime, or else he would have had her whacked years ago. "You seem to forget that the company and all its assets belong to me," he reminded her. "Even if you decide to file for divorce, you won't be getting your hands on any of my money."

Sakura leaned over the desk, getting right up close to his face. "Well, we'll just have to see about that. Won't we, honey? After all, there is still the matter of _our_ son." Screw hitmen, he'd kill her himself.

Insults and instigation melted away to a simple stare off, vicious emerald orbs clashing with cold, merciless obsidian. Lost in their contest, both were shocked to hear the main foyer grandfather clock chime loudly through the hallway. Sakura pulled back, standing straight, placing her hands on her hips. She smiled at him cruelly. "Get dressed. We've got an engagement this evening," she commanded him. Sasuke arched an eyebrow, wondering what party he had agreed to. As if reading his thoughts, Sakura's smile stretched wider. "While you were busy holing yourself up in this room, phone calls and sympathy cards have been coming in daily. We've been invited to the Honda's dinner party tonight, and as your wife, I've agreed to the invite."

Sasuke could only let his hands curl into fists in his lap, staring coolly at his wife as she turned and sashayed to the door. "Hurry up and get dressed Sasuke. You wouldn't want to disappoint all your beloved clients, now would you?," Sakura called over her shoulder, laughing as she turned down the hallway.

"Bitch," Sasuke hissed under his breath, rising to his feet. Sakura had purposely trapped him under these circumstances, so that her selfish desire to be the center of attention would be fed. Fine, let her enjoy this temporary victory, Sasuke thought, storming out of the room and slamming the office door behind him. He would get his turn soon enough.

Sakura could keep pushing him if she wanted to so badly. One of these days though, he'd step back, instead of putting up a resistance. How he would enjoy watching her fall with the momentum of her own pushing, losing all of her stature and standing; penniless and bitter. But first things first: dealing with this party that he had been tricked into attending, hosted by nothing more than a bunch of brown nosers, hoping to wheedle their way into good standing with the Uchiha.

Tomorrow, he'd have to get the lock to his office changed.

* * *

Naruto held Kyuubi steady as the kid heaved into the toilet, rubbing soothing circles into the boy's back when the vomiting stopped long enough for the child to catch his breath before starting up all over again. The blonde had never seen anything this bad before. He knew on average that MacDonald's could cause some upset stomachs, he didn't think it would force anyone to the washroom thirteen times in one day. And Kyuubi had been puking for a long time now.

The redhead pulled his head out of the toilet, gasping at the air greedily, and Naruto took this time to flush the toilet. A wet face clothe sat waiting on the counter, but as he reached for it, Kyuubi threw his head back into the toilet, heaving once more into the porcelain bowl. No, this wasn't right, Naruto thought, pulling the red spikes out of the boy's face once more. This wasn't a simple case of indigestion. It seemed like a stomach flu**(2)**.

The Uzumaki leaned forward, peering into the toilet, pass Kyuubi's head. Nothing but stringy strips of bile floated in the water. The redhead had officially emptied his stomach of everything he had eaten that day, and then some. "C'mon," he said softly to the preteen, pulling him away from the toilet. Kyuubi stood on shaky legs, placing most of his weight onto Naruto. The man could only smile in sympathy, grabbing the face clothe and turning the warm water on. "Hold still," he ordered, wiping the face clothe around the boy's mouth. He rinsed the clothe, and repeated the action a couple more times, giving it a good rinse and wiping the entirety of the redhead's face; wiping off the dirt.

_'I wonder if he's even aware he cried,'_ Naruto pondered, wiping gently at the under sides of Kyuubi's eyes. Probably not, the blonde figured, or else the preteen would be a lot more distant with him; refusing the help that the Uzumaki was currently giving. Kyuubi gave a shuddering sigh, swallowing back a sob, and clutching Naruto's arm tightly. The preteen choked, gagged, but there was nothing left to vomit but bile and that wasn't much either._ 'He's gonna keep gagging, even when there's nothing there,'_ Naruto realized, grabbing a glass and filling it up. Just how long would this torture last?

"Here, open your mouth. Gurgle it and spit, but don't swallow." He lifted the cup to the boy's lips, pouring a little bit of water in, stepping back and letting Kyuubi lean over the sink. The preteen barely had it in his mouth for twenty seconds before he was coughing it all up in the sink, throat gagging again on vomit that wasn't going to come.

"Let's get you to bed," Naruto whispered kindly, walking the younger male out of the bathroom. Sleep was the only thing the man could think of. Gravol, Pepto Bismol.... all that medicine stuff hadn't helped at all, sitting in Kyuubi's stomach for maybe five minutes top before the kid had puked it all up. Short of taking him to the hospital, this was the only option left open for the Uzumaki.

_'I only hope it doesn't get any worse, or else I'll have no choice but to take him to the hospital.'_ Naruto prayed it didn't, because he knew without a doubt that child services would intervene once he was forced to tell the doctors that the kid was a runaway, and Kyuubi would be returned to his home. He didn't want to break the kid's trust like that....

He ushered Kyuubi into the bed without a problem, holding the trembling child close while his body tried to reject whatever virus was inside of him once again. When the moment passed, Naruto quickly tucked the preteen into bed, sitting on the side and softly petting the blood red spikes back from the boy's forehead. A cold sweat covered Kyuubi's skin. Noticing the dark orbs studying him, the Uzumaki smiled warmly to the sick child.

"It's alright. I'm right here. Get some sleep." The preteen blinked heavily, as if struggling to keep his eyes open in defiance of what Naruto said. But his body was too weak, in need of repairing itself, and before long Kyuubi was closing his eyes; lulled to sleep by the warm hand petting his head.

"I'm right here....," Naruto whispered in the silence of the room, Kyuubi already have fallen to sleep. The blonde smiled sadly, struck by the strange familiarity of those words that danced on the edges of his memory. "I'm right here...."

**C.M.D: Ooh, looks like some interesting things are going on. Kakashi and Iruka in a secret together? What ever could it be, I wonder. You'll all just have to wait and see, won't you? -Grins Evilly-  
(1) I've never been in a Bed and Bath store. I'm not entirely sure one exists, though I think they do. I'm just taking my reference from _Click_. Hope that's alright.  
(2) I got the stomach flu like 3 years ago, over the Christmas holidays. The most terrible thing to experience. I thought I was going to die; I was choking on my own throat, desperate to get my stomach empty even when I had nothing left to puke. Forcing myself to sleep for almost 12 hours was the only way to get through it. I've been wary about turkey dinner ever since.  
Well, other than that little intrigue with Kakashi and Iruka, there wasn't too much else happening in this chapter. Consider it a filler then. I want to keep things flowing, make sure that things make some progress and have some more growth between Naruto and Kyuubi. But things should probably be picking up soon. Won't that be fun? Alright, so remember to REVIEW everyone and tell me your thoughts! I'll see you next update!!  
**


	9. Rice Stew

**C.M.D: The story is progressing! Slowly, but surely. Let's all be thankful I haven't grown too tired of it. Anyways, thanks for reviewing: BrokenComatose, My Solitude, mochiusagi, kai, silver, kitsuneXXnoXXkyuubi102, and Living in Darkness. Your reviews make this authoress happy.**

**_xx-X_ Rice Stew _X-xx_  
**

It was dark. Kyuubi squinted his eyes, trying to get the shadows to still long enough so that he could make sense of his surroundings. Slowly, the world came into focus. In his immediate view there was a ceiling; a yellow square of light showed him which direction the window was. The preteen attempted to sit up, but that made his head spin, so he gave up for the time being. He was in a bed; Kyuubi's thoughts were still trying to realign themselves and he noticed this only a moment after. That's right, he thought. He had been sick. With disgust, the boy realized that he could still taste an acridness at the back of his throat.

There was a sound, a tiny sound that he almost would have missed if it wasn't for how silent the preteen was. Craning his neck, Kyuubi looked down the length of the bed. With surprise, he noted the large lump that laid across the edge of the bed. It was Naruto. The man's head was resting on his crossed arms, his lower half still seated in a chair that had been pulled to the bedside. _'Why is he here?,'_ Kyuubi thought. He couldn't understand it, though the logical part of his mind explained that the Uzumaki had obviously been sitting beside him for a while before falling asleep. It still didn't make sense to the boy.

Had Naruto been waiting by the bedside all this time?_ 'No'_, Kyuubi thought, shaking his head. The blonde couldn't have been doing such a thing. He was only a runaway child; the man wouldn't waste his time staying by his side for hours, waiting for him to wake up. Kyuubi laid his head back down on the pillow, staring up at the ceiling once more. He should go back to sleep, he told himself, but it didn't seem like he would be any time soon. He had already slept, now his body was ready to be up and about. Such an idea made the preteen's head hurt. At least his stomach wasn't bothering him anymore...

Again, Kyuubi craned his neck, staring down at the Uzumaki's sleeping form. Slouched over in his chair like that... it couldn't possibly have been that comfortable. So why hadn't the blonde woken up and moved to the couch? The redhead blinked slowly, reaching out for the man. He hesitated for a moment, only a second, before gaping the minuscule distance and placing his hand on Naruto's head. The man mumbled a little in his sleep, but otherwise did not stir. The preteen carded his fingers through the blonde spikes gently, marveling at the softness of the golden strands. He was still patting the man's head when he slipped back into sleep.

* * *

"What?" Naruto held the phone tighter against his ear, wondering if he had just missed something in that comment. He could hear his former teacher sigh on the other side of the line before a stretch of static met his ear.

"What's confusing you?," Kakashi asked. Apparently he had swapped with Iruka.

Naruto didn't exactly want to talk to the man, but he didn't think that Iruka would be getting the phone back anytime soon. "What's confusing me?," he replied nastily. "Well, let's see. The fact that I've just been practically ordered to have a private chat about something that I have no clue about. And your still not giving me a reason why I should."

"It'll all be explained if you just come tomorrow," the security guard said.

Naruto scowled, stopping his pacing in the kitchen. He walked to the doorway, looking at the closed bedroom door. Kyuubi had only fallen asleep. He didn't know how long a stomach flu lasted, and he didn't want to leave the boy alone if he should wake up. "I have work," Naruto lied to the Hatake, turning back around and walking to the kitchen table. He pulled out a chair and sat down.

"You can miss one day of work," Kakashi responded. The man sounded like he was getting annoyed.

"Can't."

"And why not?"

"Because I have my own life, thank you very much!," Naruto yelled into the receiver. The blonde immediately fell silent, pulling the phone away from his ear. He strained his hearing, but he couldn't make out any sound that showed that he had woken Kyuubi. Sighing, the Uzumaki placed the wireless back against his ear.

"... just want to talk, Naruto." It seemed there was another switch-over. Iruka was the one speaking now, though he had missed at least half of what the brunette had just said.

"Not tomorrow, Iruka-sensei," Naruto repeated tiredly. "I have important things to do."

There was a moment of silence. "Okay, I understand," Iruka conceded. "But you will come to talk with us soon, won't you? There are really important matters that need to be discussed."

Naruto didn't reply right away. He raised a hand, rubbing at his tired eyes.

"Naruto...?"

"Yes, Iruka-sensei," the blonde answered. "I'll come over soon. Just not tomorrow."

"Thank you," he could hear the older man sigh. "Remember to call before coming over. To make sure that we're home."

Naruto rolled his eyes, smiling slightly at the brunette's words. Always treating him like he was a little kid. "Yeah, okay. It's late now, sensei...," the Uzumaki started, hoping the Umino would get the hint. He did.

"Yes, of course," Iruka agreed. "You have things to do in the morning. Well, alright... Have a goodnight Naruto. Sleep well."

"You too, Iruka-sensei," the blonde mumbled back, before hanging up. He exhaled softly, placing the phone on the table. The clock ticked away in the background, sounding off the passing of minutes as it got later and later. He should go to bed, Naruto thought distantly, but he shook the notion off. He wouldn't be able to sleep now. Needing to preoccupy himself, the Uzumaki got to his feet and opened the fridge. Kyuubi would need something to eat when he woke up; something light and healthy that his body wouldn't reject. The man got to work.

Why had Iruka called him? What was so important that the man couldn't explain to him over the phone? Naruto pondered on these things quietly as he worked. Was it good news? Bad news? From the sound of it, it sounded like something bad. Naruto stopped what he was doing, putting down the knife he was using to chop carrots. Did what Iruka want to talk to him about have something to do with his past? The Uzumaki felt his stomach turn over uneasily, and for a moment he thought he was going to be sick.

"What does it matter?," he asked himself, ignoring the queasiness of his gut and continuing his chopping. "What's passed is the past. It won't hurt me now."

He just had to believe his own words now. If Iruka-sensei and Kakashi had something to tell him about his past, then so be it. He wouldn't let it affect him. The person he was now was already molded by the things that had happened years before. There was no more room for the past to carve its mark into him. He was already the person he was supposed to be. So, he just needed to stop being afraid.

Naruto sighed. It didn't seem like his fear would be quelled so easily. Whatever, he thought. He'd go, and he'd see that things weren't what he was imagining they were. But there was one other issue... The blonde turned to the doorway. Kyuubi. He was responsible for taking care of the boy, especially now that the preteen was sick._ 'He'll be okay,'_ Naruto tried to convince himself._ 'The kid's been on the street. I'll wait until he's better, and go during a work day. Kyuubi will be fine.'_

Still... the man worried.

* * *

When Kyuubi woke again, it was morning. He could hear birds chirping just beyond the window, and though he usually was annoyed with them, today he didn't mind so much. Gingerly he sat up, glad that his head didn't spin this time with the motion. Rubbing at his eyes, the preteen realized that Naruto was no longer asleep at the bedside. Sounds from the kitchen filtered into the room from the ajar door; a wave of deja vu flowing through him. Slowly, Kyuubi slid out of bed, padding to the kitchen like he had done that first day living with Naruto. He opened the door soundlessly, heading for the kitchen, where he paused for a moment in the doorway.

It all felt like a dream; this frightening familiarity. For one bizarre moment, the Uchiha almost thought that the past month had been merely a dream and that it was only just yesterday that he had been brought into the Uzumaki's shelter. And just like before, there was Naruto pausing in his actions and turning to the doorway.

"Hey...," the blonde greeted softly. "How are you feeling?"

Reality was sinking in again, the preteen's thoughts finally realizing that he wasn't simply reliving another moment of the past. He definitely had not felt so worn and heavy-headed before. Naruto approached the boy, placing a hand on the child's forehead.

"You're still very warm," the blonde mumbled.

Kyuubi, mute apparently, still said nothing; leaning in closer to the cool touch. When Naruto transferred his hand from his forehead to his cheek, the redhead practically sighed in relief. His stomach may have finally felt solid like a rock, but his head was still cotton-fuzzy. Blood black orbs blinked at the man as he pulled away.

"It seems that you won't be retching again anytime soon," Naruto was saying. "That's good. It means you're almost well again. A couple more days rest and you'll be in tip-top shape." He smiled at the preteen, gently leading him to the table. "Come, sit. Have a little something to eat before you go back to bed."

_'But I don't want to sleep,'_ Kyuubi frowned. His lips had yet to pry apart, so the words were spoken only within his mind. Naruto did not notice though, busy as he was dishing something into a bowl. He placed the steaming dish before the child, with a glass of water.

"It's rice stew," he explained, seeing the preteen's disgruntled expression. "It'll make you feel better." Kyuubi didn't seem likely to touch it, but glancing around the kitchen, he realized that Naruto had been cooking this one meal for a while. Obediently, he lifted his spoon, taking small bites of the stew.

Naruto wiped his hands on a dishrag, leaning against the counter. The man's posture was withdrawn, and noticing it, Kyuubi lowered his spoon, staring at the blonde. Silence stretched on between them for a few moments, until the Uzumaki realized that he was being watched. "Listen," he sighed, looking away from the child, "I need to go to work today. You'll only be alone for a few hours. I'll finish my stuff up quickly, and be back sometime after lunch."

There was no question if this would be alright. Kyuubi noted the difference, and turned back to his bowl. "Okay," he croaked, digging into his food again. Naruto moved away from the counter, patting the red spikes.

"Make sure you get some rest," the blonde said, turning and leaving the kitchen. Kyuubi lowered his spoon again, listening as the Uzumaki put on his coat, keys jingling the entire time. The door was opened, and with a dull thunk, was closed again. The slamming of the bolt alerted that Naruto was officially out of the house.

_'No goodybe,'_ the preteen thought, rising to his feet. Though it hurt his head, he scurried to the door, unlocking it and rushing onto the landing. He heard Naruto's bike start up, and a second later, the man was speeding around the corner and off down the street. Kyuubi kept watching, feeling his stomach squirm when Naruto turned left, instead of right- the opposite direction of the bookstore. Slowly, he headed back inside and locked the door behind him.

No farewell, avoiding eye contact, heading in the wrong direction from the store... What did it mean? Had Naruto finally clued into what was happening? Was the Uzumaki off to report to the police that he had a run-away in his house? The Uchiha hurried for the bedroom, grabbing his things. He had started to shove his change of clothes into a bag, when he forced himself to stop. You're being stupid, a voice said in the back of his head. There's no way that Naruto knows what's going on. Something else is wrong. Kyuubi mulled this over. It seemed to fit more than his theory that the man was going off to turn him in.

Right, said the voice. If he was going to do that, he would have just called the police while you were asleep. Was Naruto being threatened then? Kyuubi sat on the bed, fists clenched in his lap. It was a good possibility. The Uzumaki was nice and generous; he probably couldn't help but submit if someone was threatening him. ...Was his father responsible? That was an even greater question. He could do nothing all the same. Kyuubi grimaced, laying back down on the mattress. His head was pounding now, making the world seem a little red to his eyes. Naruto was gone, and even though he had wanted to, there was no way to follow the man on foot. He'd have to wait, and hope that he would return as he said he would. Waiting might just possibly kill the boy.

Kyuubi closed his eyes, and tried to think of something else.

* * *

"Still no luck finding Madara?," Neji asked, walking into office. Sasuke glared at him, promptly turning his chair and staring out the window. The Hyuuga smirked, closing the door behind him. "I brought coffee," he added, raising the carry-tray. Two large coffees steamed in their plastic cups.

Without waiting to see if Sasuke would invite him in, Neji stepped forward, placing the tray on the desk. "And how is Sakura these days?," he asked, taking one of the cups for himself. The phone began to ring shrilly at that moment. One pale eye glanced at the phone as it died, Sasuke's cell phone vibrating wildly immediately afterward. The caller display showed that it was Sakura. "I see...," the Hyuuga drawled.

Sasuke spun back around in his chair, glaring at the man. "Get out of my office," he growled, blatantly ignoring the cell. Neji grabbed the razor as it finished ringing, flipping it open and putting the phone to his ear. He listened to the voicemail that Sakura had left, and Sasuke didn't bother stopping him.

"Your wife wants you home for dinner tonight," he told the Uchiha flatly. "I see you've been avoiding her again."

"I don't see how that's any of your business," Sasuke scowled. He did not rebut Neji's comment. It was true; he had grown tired of Sakura's melodrama these past days, and was more than a little irritated with how the woman was under the impression that she was in control. Gathering only his work, Sasuke had left his home that morning and booked himself into a hotel in the city. He informed only the hired help about his decision to get himself temporary dwellings.

It wasn't running away, Sasuke told himself. He had every intention of returning to his house soon; after he had found Madara. But first things, first... "I believe I told you to get out."

Neji gave a sigh, mockingly hanging his head. "Here I came, to offer you comfort and support, and you've been nothing but cold to me. I've only been hearing the worst of rumors... Are you really more interested in finding out about that man Uzumaki Naruto, than locating your own son?"

Sasuke had to fight to keep his expression neutral at the question. Neji's source of information was feeding him things that not even the rest of high-class society knew. But who was sharing with him these secrets? Sasuke had never trusted the Hyuuga; he remembered too clearly the man's inheritance of his Uncle's company. It was nothing short of a hostile take-over.

"Who do you have investigating? I may be able to offer my services if need be," Neji offered. The Uchiha narrowed his eyes, but did not reply. The other man noticed, and a smirk came to his lips. "When you are finished badgering Hatake-san, call me," with that said, the Hyuuga turned around and left the office. Sasuke watched as the door closed shut behind the man, biting his lip against the rage that doubled inside of him.

* * *

"I'm so glad you came," Iruka said, shutting the door behind him. Naruto didn't reply, nodding his head wearily. He hadn't wanted to come, and saying that he was glad to be here would be a bald-faced lie. The brunette gestured for him to go into the kitchen, and Naruto did so, dragging his feet the entire way. As was to be expected, Kakashi was already seated at the table.

The security guard poured three large, steaming mugs of coffee, handing one to the blonde. "I figure you're going to need that," he said, grabbing one himself. Naruto's blue eyes looked from Kakashi, to the file folders piled on top of the table. He could easily spot the beige medical folder in between the others, its multicolored tab making his stomach twist in knots. The Uzumaki raised his cup and drank the burning liquid deeply; ignoring the taste. He wasn't one for black coffee, but Kakashi had been right about one thing: he was going to need it. It was the only thing calming his nerves at the moment.

Naruto pulled out a chair, and settled down as well. "Alright," he mumbled, pouring himself another cup. "Let's get started..."

**C.M.D: After doing this chapter... I realized it was one of the shortest since I began this fanfic. That revelation hurts my pride. I attempted to add more, but I find myself unable to add anything to this chapter. I thought about having the discussion between Naruto and Iruka and Kakashi in here... but I already planned to give it a whole chapter to itself, and I like that plan much better than tagging it to this sad update. I wish I had foreseen this issue beforehand; perhaps I could have simply added it to the end of the last chapter. Anyways, what's done is done.  
A good portion of your guys' questions will be answered soon, so I hope you enjoy that. I think you'll like some of the stuff I'm going to throw at you. ...now I just wonder if anyone is catching onto my little hints...  
Alright, that's all I have to say for now. Normally, I'd say review, but honestly, I don't mind if no one does for this chapter. But I expect feedback next update, 'kay? Good... ja ne everyone!**


	10. A File Folder Apiece

**C.M.D: This chapter came out pretty quickly, but I am glad to say that I love it very much. I am happy with every little thing about it. Now, back to protocol. THANK YOU: yayanolala, My Solitude, mochiusagi, MissAdorkable33501, DeMoNDYnaSTy, niceladysakura, cluelessninja65. Your reviews are greatly appreciated, and are in part due to the reason why this chapter came out so quickly. All the same, I've gone over it, so mistakes should be minimal. In either case, if there are any, I'll fix them at a later date. Anyways, enjoy everyone! I believe you're in for a delightful surprise.**

**xx-X A File Folder Apiece X-xx  
**

It was dark again. Kyuubi wasn't so surprised to find himself staring up at a dark ceiling once more, his face pressed into the bedsheets. Blinking slowly, feeling for the world as if he had been drugged, the child pushed himself up, sitting upright. He wiped away the sleep from his eyes, staring dazedly around the room. The clock on the nightstand read 12:33. He had not meant to fall asleep, but he had, and his body felt leaden from over-sleeping. Ignoring the slight ache in his knees from when he had them curled against the wall, Kyuubi slid off the bed and padded to the door. Despite the heaviness of his body, his mind was sharp. It seemed his sickness had finally passed.

The door opened silently, and Kyuubi stepped out of the bedroom, immediately heading for the living room. He saw right away that the couch was not unfolded. Had Naruto been too tired to bring out the bed? But as the child rounded the corner, he saw that no figure was stretched across the couch's cushions. Not wanting to believe the first possibility that came to mind, Kyuubi turned about and headed for the kitchen. The bathroom door was opened, and inside was dark and empty as well he saw as he passed. The kitchen revealed no blonde; and a glance at the door told him that no jacket or shoes had been added to his own. Kyuubi slowly blinked, staring at the door a minute longer, before walking into the kitchen. His bowl of rice stew from breakfast was still sitting on the table, forgotten. It had become cold and started to mildew from the smell of it.

The sight of the forlorn bowl told the boy that Naruto had not come home once. A kind of suspicious-confusion settled on the Uchiha, and he began to ponder the reasons for the man's absence. But, rationality pushed those silly theories aside, reminding him firmly that without any clues, Kyuubi could not even begin to know. It was foolish to try and build truth out of thin air. Picking up his spoiled meal, Kyuubi chucked its contents into the garbage, and turning the kitchen light on, he returned to the sink. He started the water, waiting for it to be hot enough before scrubbing the bowl out. As he washed the few dishes - a task he had never done previously- Kyuubi let his mind wander; asking questions about Naruto that he knew wouldn't be answered.

* * *

_"I still don't understand," Naruto said, raising his eyes from the folder. He looked at Iruka puzzled._

_"Of course you don't," came Kakashi's snide comment from the side. Naruto gave the security guard a scathing look, to which the older man easily ignored. Iruka sighed, folding his hands on the table top._

_"Of course you wouldn't," the teacher echoed. "You were sick too often. They gave you heavy doses of sedatives for when the pain overcame the painkillers, and so you would sleep at night. You spent many of those days in a dream-like daze. I don't even think you were taking in half of what was there, even when your eyes were opened."_

_Naruto looked back down at the medical files. His eyes re-read the names listed. "And so, this man helped me...?"_

* * *

A quiet blonde sat on the curb outside a bar, his hands flipping through the pages in a file folder slowly. He stopped every once in a while to either press closer to the page to try and read something, or to take a swig from the bottle that he held in his free hand. The man did not notice the lone car that rolled down the street, or when the neon sign of the bar behind him turned off with a buzzing flicker. He was unaware of much around him, other than the papers in his lap that dictated the point in his life when he had almost died.

He supposed he should have been feeling a sort of fear, or even relief, as he reread the medical documents, but no such emotions came to the surface. Instead, a numbness had taken over the man's body, overridden only by the confusion that filled his mind. None of this made sense...

**Aplastic Anemia (severe)** stood out in bold words on the white page.

Naruto found his eyes kept returning to the name. This was the disease that had nearly destroyed his life; it was the cause behind this mess. With a sigh, the blonde took another drink from the bottle, the last of the beer draining into his mouth. With a sullen glare, he set the bottle down beside him, returning to the file. He could remember the hospital room he had been kept in for nearly three years... the whirring and beeping of the life-support machines all around him; the muted tones of doctors and patients beyond his room... they echoed in the back of his head, the same as they did when he had been laying in that bed long ago, in room 28, waiting to die or waiting for help.

_"I never knew... you were already pale and a little weak when you came to live with me. I would have never guessed that it was because of this..."_

Naruto closed his eyes, exhaling slowly and resting his head on his knees. Iruka's voice was nervous and apologetic the entire time he had talked to the blonde earlier that day, as if the brunette felt he was the one to blame for the Uzumaki being sick. Even Kakashi talked to him in gentle tones...

Terrible news, the man thought. But it wasn't like he hadn't already known about his condition before. After all, it was somewhat difficult to be in a hospital for so long a period, and not know the reason as to why.

_"I already know all this. Why call me over to talk about something I already know?,"_ came his voice next, as he let his mind slip back to the conversation of this afternoon. Behind his eyelids, Naruto recalled the round kitchen table. He sat by the corner of the wall, while Kakashi and Iruka sat across from him. His coffee cup, which he had been filled and drained three times now, was pushed away from him. On the table, his medical folder had been opened up.

"Because there's something that we still haven't told you," Kakashi answered, leaning a little closer. He turned the pages inside the folder, pausing on one of the print-outs. Following the ex-cop's finger, Naruto saw that it came to a list of names.

"They are the names of the doctors and nurses who were assigned to you, during your stay at the hospital," Iruka explained, before the blonde could even voice his question. Iruka too leaned forward, prodding at names on the list as he continued. "These are the doctors that first treated you, before anyone realized you had sever Aplastic Anemia. These are the doctors that you were transferred to after. Dr. Tsunade was the only experienced staff member who knew about this branch of rare diseases and the bone marrow transfusions that accompanied it."

He could remember that woman. Even through the patchy memories of his young teen years, the doctor posed a striking distinction from the backdrop of white, with her blonde hair and large breasts. Pulling away from the image of the doctor that had been drawn to the forefront of his mind, he returned to the topic at hand...

He recalled the way Iruka paused, the troubled furrow of his brow. But there was a small smile on his lips. "This man is the reason you are still with us today," the teacher softly said.

He read the name, and could barely make the connection. "Who is he?," Naruto asked.

Kakashi grabbed another of the folders, flipping through its contents before showing it to the blonde. Naruto recognized the black hair and dark eyes, and scowled at the other man's image. "Sasuke Uchiha... I remember that man," the blonde mumbled darkly. "He's that rude guy from Hyuuga-san's book showing. Spilled my ramen and blamed me for it, the bastard."

He almost missed the troubled look that Kakashi and Iruka shared. "What?," he asked, looking between both men. "What did I say?"

"You've had contact with Sasuke?," Kakashi questioned. Not waiting for a reply, the security guard turned to his partner. "Things may be worse than we thought," he shared quietly with Iruka. "If he's aware of-?"

"Hey, wait? Tell me what's this about!" The Uzumaki pointed at both file folders. "Are these two related or something? And what does that rich bastard have to do with my medical records?"

Iruka took a deep breath, sitting rigid in his seat. From the man's expression, you would think he was heading out for battle. His lips were flat, and there was a grim defeat in his eyes. "I remember that day when we went to the hospital. It was only a trip down the stairs... but you were bleeding so much and it wouldn't stop... everything was so red..."

Iruka trailed off for a moment, burying his head in his hands as he took deep breaths. Naruto wish he could have remembered that moment more. Aside from the fact that he and the brunette had been in an argument at the time, he did not recall the fall down the stairs or the trip to the hospital that followed. He remembered the pain though, and the warm blood on his face. He bet it had been a horrifying scene for the Umino. Kakashi wrapped an arm around Iruka's shoulder, and finally the teacher emerged from his hands, releasing a heavy sigh.

"It was when they were trying to fix you up, that they realized something was wrong. A diagnosis revealed that you had Aplastic Anemia. They tried bandaging you up, to keep from losing too much blood and had us transferred to another doctor. They gave you a couple transfusions, but couldn't do any stitches. The disease made you susceptible to excessive blood-loss, and you wouldn't be able to heal the same as if you were healthy. The doctors didn't want to run the risk of infection getting in your stitches..."

"W-when your cuts from the fall finally healed," Iruka continued. "Tsunade-san immediately started your treatment. The first few attempts were failures, nothing stuck, and we had to resort to immunosuppressive therapy until you were stronger. After the really bad rejection of the growth factors... we realized the only thing left was a bone marrow transplant. But with no family... and the long waiting list... it seemed hopeless."

Tears rimmed the brunette's eyes then. In his memory, Naruto recalled the way they glistened and tore him up from the inside. "Y-you were ge-getting worse," Iruka choked. "T-the longer the pr-procedure extended, th-the more y-your body we-eakened, until we e-even had t-to stop the im-mmunosuppressive therapy, be-because it p-put you at t-too much risk..."

"Dr. Tsunade told us, that at this rate, the likelihood of you catching something stronger, or becoming gravely ill because of a common cold, was very high," Kakashi said, taking over. Iruka was worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, shaking hands wiping at his tears, as he remembered those horrifying days. Naruto reluctantly turned his attention away from his teacher, focusing on the grey-haired man.

"Iruka would have lost you, if it hadn't been for this man. He paid not only for your medical bills, but he even hired extra doctors to find you matching transplants," the Hatake continued. "By now, we were approaching your third year in the hospital... you were still a fair distance from the top of the list, and none of the marrow donors matched with you. It was, in every aspect, hopeless. But he did not give up, and he even turned around and had himself tested. Naruto, I'm not religious but I can tell you it was an honest to god miracle that he was your exact type. He saved you, by paying to keep you alive, and finally, by giving you the bone marrow that turned everything around."

There was a sort of stunned silence that followed. Even now, Naruto could not believe it. There had been such a person so driven to save his life. The significance of it was overwhelming, and remembering what it was like at twelve, thinking no one in the whole world gave a damn about him... he felt his heart clench painfully with joy.

"But... what does that have to do with Uchiha Sasuke...?," he heard himself ask.

Kakashi looked at Iruka, who had grabbed one of the binders this time, and flipped it open. He pulled out an envelope from the pocket sleeve behind the cover, handing it to the stunned blonde. "The night of your release, he had wanted to come down and see you off. I'm afraid to say that you don't remember him at all, but you had grown quite attached to him. The best of friends, if I ever did see. He was attending another event with his parents, but when he received my message, they immediately left to come here," Iruka smiled, closing the binder. But as his hands folded over it, the Umino's smile fell.

"They were coming down from the mountains... a transporter broke an axle as it was rounding the corner- negligence and rust, apparently- and it crashed. Their car was caught on the outside of the turn... they were forced off the road and over the side..."

Naruto felt his stomach plummet with horror. "No...," he croaked, clenching the envelope tightly in his hands.

"He did survive, Naruto," Kakashi said. "But his parents did not." There was a tired look in the security guard's eyes. "He wasn't able to come see you after that. Dealing with his parents' funeral... and overtaking their business... they kept him so busy, he couldn't spare anymore time on anything else."

"But he never wanted you to forget him," Iruka spoke up again. He piled together the binder and folders, and pushed them toward Naruto. "He left these with us, with specific instructions to give them to you when the time was right."

Naruto reached for them, gripping them tightly. He did not mind the cutting pressure along the inside of his palms. "Why now?," he asked, looking to both men. Iruka looked at Kakashi, and the man nodded his head in return.

"Uchiha Sasuke has recently lost his son. Kidnapping... I'm surprised you don't know, really," the ex-cop mumbled, before getting back on track. "People are searching, but no results so far. I get the dreadful feeling that soon innocent people are going to be pulled in, and either interrogated, or wrongly convicted before the end of this."

Naruto scowled at this. "To be expected of a rich bastard."

Kakashi shook his head. "You don't get it, Naruto. You've drawn attention to yourself, and now Sasuke is aware of your presence."

"But, why-?"

"It matters," Kakashi continued, cutting the blonde off, "because he lost his parents that night when you were released from the hospital. And he blames you and his brother."

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes, gazing blearily at the world around him. In the distance, buildings were beginning to be tinged grey with approaching dawn. Already, a few early risers were driving down the street, drinking coffee as they steered their vehicles to work. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Naruto shoved the file folder still in his lap into his bag, rising to his feet and digging out his keys. The beer bottle clinked as it toppled to the curb, and the blonde blinked at it dazedly, before deciding he had worked the couple bottles of alcohol out of his system during his sleep as he straddled his bike.

With a yawn, Naruto turned the engine on, staring at the horizon; watching a little longer as the sky continued to lighten. Feeling more than safely awake now, the Uzumaki kicked up the stand and steered out onto the street. His bag felt heavy on his back, and with a grim frown, he knew it was because of all the secrets that he had suddenly been bestowed with. He thought the past could no longer affect him, but these slights in memory promised to demolish his future, if a powerful man trapped within the pains of his own past decided to take his revenge out on the blonde. And all because Naruto happened to be associated with his brother, who Uchiha Sasuke held responsible for his parents' death all those years ago.

_'Typical bastards,'_ Naruto thought, roaring down the road, finally heading home.

* * *

Sasuke frowned, flipping through the pages that his private investigator had handed him earlier. He had not cared about the man's personal opinion on the case, or that there was nothing of much to discredit the Uzumaki... that wasn't Sasuke's purpose to having the man searched. He wanted to know why his loathsome brother had such an attachment to the blonde nobody. Itachi wasn't the type of person to build such relationships with others.

Frowning, Sasuke grabbed his glass off of the nightstand, swallowing a mouthful of rum, setting the glass down hard. Obsidian orbs scanned over print-outs of school records, foster care records, government forms, adoption papers... Nothing stuck out much, and he still didn't see how Itachi could have come across the blonde. The Uzumaki had attended regular school, followed by community college after his graduation. His tax records were good, and other than a couple police warnings for stealing from the supermarket, he had never done any time. All of his awards and certifications of merit weren't enough to lift the blonde to high society; not even his community service was enough to get him into the newspaper. He was non-existence as far as Sasuke was concerned.

So why did Itachi know and care for the dobe?

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke re-read through the files, flipping the pages so angrily that a few tore at the corners. Suddenly, something jumped out at him, and the raven turned back to the page. It was one of the Uzumaki's medical records. Pulling the sheet closer, Sasuke squinted at the tiny print, eyes moving across the page as he took in the information. His eyes widened in surprise.

Uchiha Itachi was listed under biller, and donor.

Quickly scanning through the rest of the records, Sasuke found his frown morphing into a snarl. So, this is where all his _lovely_ brother's time at been spent those three years... he had been wasting his time and money on a sick, simpering blonde boy. Even giving the man bone marrow...

White, hot anger surged through Sasuke as he returned to the first page, and noticed something that he hadn't the first time: the release date of the Uzumaki's hospitalization. Growling under his breath, the Uchiha threw the files away from him, lunging to his feet and stomping across the room to the bottle of rum sitting on the table. He ignored the ice, grabbing another glass and filling it to the brim with the amber liquid. He relished the burn as it went down his throat, wallowing in his anger. To Sasuke, the reasons behind Itachi's interest in the Uzumaki meant little to him anymore. They could not deterr him from hating the blonde any less. Because Itachi was so desperate to go see a snot-nosed brat that night, their parents had died. Their deaths were just as much Uzumaki Naruto's fault, as his brother's.

And now he knew.

* * *

He could tell the difference the moment he woke up. Stretching the kinks out of his neck, Kyuubi slipped out of bed, exiting the room. He quietly tip-toed to the living room, and breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed that Naruto was actually asleep on the couch. Sunlight streamed through the narrow openings in the curtains that had jerkingly been pulled shut, patches of it falling on the blonde's unconscious form. He could tell easily from the man's appearance that Naruto had just recently come home and collapsed on the couch. A sharp smell caught Kyuubi's attention, and the pre-teen spotted three empty sake bottles on the end table. Apparently, Naruto had been able to drink a little before falling asleep.

Deciding he should just let the Uzumaki sleep, Kyuubi turned back around and headed to the kitchen. He poured himself a bowl of cereal, and stared in the fridge when he went to get the milk. He was tempted by the thought of having a nice meal prepared for Naruto; the blonde smiling at him with gratitude and surprise at the thoughtful gesture. But then the red-head realized that he didn't really know how to use the stove or cook eggs, though he had watched Naruto do it many times, and with a scowl, shut the fridge door. Sad, the child thought. That's all his life was: one pathetic realization after the next. One would wonder why he even bothered, but then he remembered he was an Uchiha, and Uchiha always tried. Licking the last of the milk off his spoon as he finished his breakfast, Kyuubi cocked his head at the stove.

Several minutes later, nursing an angry red mark on his wrist, Kyuubi gratefully scooped his charcoaled egg onto a plate, setting beside it two slices of toast, both covered in butter and jam just like how Naruto liked. The preteen dropped the frying pan in the sink, turning on the water; turning it off only after the pan had stopped hissing. He left the meal sitting on the table, returning to the bedroom for a second to grab some of his homework, before heading to the living room. Naruto was still asleep, drooling onto the seat cushion. Kyuubi smiled. It was when he was walking toward the man that he noticed the bag on the floor, its open zipper spilling its contents to the floor. Curious, Kyuubi crouched down, reaching over and pulling a file folder out of the mess.

Was this the reason why Naruto had not come home until morning? The preteen's heart was racing as he set the file folder in front of him, fingers slipping under the side, slowly lifting the cover-

Naruto grunted. Kyuubi jumped as if he had been shocked, scooping the file folder up and shuffling it between his calculus work. He took several deep breaths, watching as Naruto grunted again, rolling around on the couch before wearily opening his eyes. "Wazzup?," Naruto asked, voice thick with sleep. Kyuubi swallowed, schooling his features into indifference.

"Nothing," he replied. He kept a sharp eye on Naruto as the blonde first sat up and then staggered off the couch. The man scratched behind one ear and at his stomach simultaneously, yawning widely. When his eyes opened again, they landed on the bag sitting on the floor, glancing over to the child before returning to the bag. Stiffly, Naruto bent down and scooped everything back inside, zipping the bag shut and slinging it over one shoulder.

"Time?," he croaked.

"Much too early for you to be awake," Kyuubi answered, reaching forward with one hand and taking hold of Naruto's elbow. He thought distantly about his hard-worked breakfast, but one look at the Uzumaki's blood-shot eyes and swaying figure told him that Naruto wouldn't be able to enjoy his meal, let alone eat it. The blonde would sooner poke his eye out, then get the fork in his mouth. "C'mon," the preteen said softly, leading the man to the bedroom.

Naruto did not protest, and he fell onto the bed without any prompting. Feeling a smile tug at his lips, Kyuubi set his papers down, before reaching around and pulling the blanket over the blonde's form. Naruto mumbled something incoherent, snuggling deeper into the sheets before dropping off altogether. "Foolish...," Kyuubi whispered. He brushed a few of the gold strands out of Naruto's face, before grabbing his papers and bolting out of the room.

His heart was racing again. Swallowing sharply, the boy hurried to kitchen, pulling the file folder he had nipped out from the rest of his work. There must be something important inside, or else Naruto wouldn't have gone to the trouble of stuffing everything back into his bag and carrying it to bed with him. And that sparked the preteen's curiosity, because he wondered, what could Naruto possibly have to hide from him? Nearly overwhelmed by the his nerves, Kyuubi ripped the file folder open, blood-black eyes hungrily devouring the words that appeared before him.

Three sentences in, the preteen turned whiter than he already was. His hands were clenched painfully tight on the table top, unwinding enough only to turn the pages and read on. A crushing hand took hold of his heart, and Kyuubi thought he was going to die. He continued to read, hypnotized, unable to stop despite the devastating news he was reading. Something warm coated his eyes, and with shock, Kyuubi raised a hand to his eyes and realized that the heat was tears. His hands were shaking now... Kyuubi forced them to stay still, turning the last couple pages in what was evidently Naruto's medical records. There was no need for him to be afraid, he chastised himself. Naruto was fine and healthy now; there was no way that he could still have this Aplastic Anemia.

Reaching the end, Kyuubi was more than greatly relieved to find that the report finished with a summary explaining the Uzumaki's rapid recovery and increasing health. A choked whimper slipped from his throat, and the child had to close his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, they landed on the list of doctors and other people that had been involved with the blonde's case. His eyes widened again, for an entirely different reason this time.

"U-uncle Itachi...?," Kyuubi whispered, pulling the paper closer to him. He blinked, re-read the name, uncertain that it was there. But he saw it again, under the list of donors, and he even recognized it in the doctor's summary. He couldn't believe it. Commanding the beating of his heart to subside, the preteen turned back and scanned through the files again. Each time, he saw his uncle mentioned. A bubble of happiness blossomed in the Uchiha's stomach, and he felt tempted to laugh out loud. Instead he settled for a satisfactory smirk.

An idea struck him, and slipping back into the bedroom where Naruto slept blissfully unaware, Kyuubi grabbed his clothes, sneaking the file folder into the blonde's bag. He jangled his keys as he slipped into his shoes, pulling the hoodie over his head and tossing the hood up. He grabbed a handful of change out Naruto's jacket pocket, and before he could begin to doubt, the child threw himself out the front door; shutting it quietly behind him and locking the door. He had to run six blocks before he came to the nearest plaza, boasting a convenience store and a gas station. On the convenience store's side, next to the dumpster, was one forlorn telephone.

Kyuubi jogged up to the booth, stepping inside. He pushed the change into the slot, picking up the reciever and quickly dialing a number. His heart raced as he waited for someone to pick up the other line...

* * *

Itachi wondered if he had acted right. He sat at his desk, with his head in his hands, recalling that day a week ago. He had only wanted to confront Sasuke about his missing nephew... he had not meant to bring Naruto into conversation. But that letter... surely it couldn't be good? His little brother never had any need for individuals below the high-class society. Many would think of it as a business man's mind, but Itachi knew that it was only arrogance. Sasuke, taught only in that manner, would not trouble himself with people lower than him. So, the younger Uchiha had no valid, innocent reason to be contacting Naruto.

And what if it had been mere coincidence...?

This doubt was what was eating at the man. Had he, in mentioning Naruto, condemned the blonde to his brother's evil machinations? But of course, if Sasuke didn't know before, he would certainly realize soon the connection between him and the Uzumaki. And with his temper, this could only result in disaster. "First me, then your son... and now Naruto...," Itachi mumbled into his palms. "Sasuke... just how many more people are you going to push out of your life, torment, until you finally feel that you're at peace?"

Finally rising from his hands, Itachi turned to his phone. He should call somebody... Naruto, maybe... But he had been out of the blonde's life for so long, it would be awkward if the only greeting he could offer after such a period time was a warning. Than, perhaps he should call his brother? No, the raven thought, shaking his head. Sasuke would not answer his call. He never did. And frankly, Itachi didn't feel like talking to Sakura either. He had not protested it, but he didn't care for the marriage between the Haruno and his little brother. The relationship seemed tainted from the very beginning... as if it were more so for convenience and business, than for actual like of the other person. A terrible decision, considering Sasuke's temperament.

His hand hovered over the receiver, as Itachi weighed out his options, when suddenly its shrill ringing cut through the silence. Quirking an eyebrow, the Uchiha slowly closed the distance, and picked up the phone. "Hello?," he said, pressing the reciever to his ear.

There was no answer on the otherside. Itachi remained silent, straining to pick up any noise over the stretch of static, but he could hear nothing. "Hello?," he asked again, when a few moments had passed. Frowning, he sighed, rubbing at his eyes. "I don't have time for this...," he mumbled to himself. As he was pulling away the phone, a sound carried over the other line.

"For everything you've done... for Naruto... Thank you..."

"Madara!," Itachi said, quickly pressing the phone back to his ear. "Madara, is that you?"

But there was only a click on the other line, the continuous beep that signaled an ended connection echoing in his ear. Confused, Itachi pulled the phone away, setting it back into its cradle. He rested his chin in his hands, staring at the phone, thinking... Had that really been Madara, his nephew? It sounded like the boy. ...He sounded well... Smiling, Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. Calm peace flowed through him. Madara was alive. His voice was proof. That was the best phone call he had gotten these past few months.

But... what did that have to do with Naruto?

* * *

When Naruto had finally woken, it was to find that nearly the entire day had passed. In the kitchen, he found an abandoned plate of toast and egg. Without knowing how, he knew that it was for him. He touched the cold food, smiling sadly. It was no good to eat now, but he wished he could all the same. It was obvious that Kyuubi had put his best efforts toward this. Tossing the food out, Naruto headed to the living room. Knocked out on the couch was Kyuubi. The preteen had been working on his math before falling asleep; his calculus work had spilled to the floor when he had dozed off. Smiling, the man tidied up the papers, putting them on the end table just as the redhead began to stir. Opening his eyes, Kyuubi stared up at Naruto, blinking a couple times before finally sitting up.

"Hey...," Naruto said softly. "Hungry?"

Slowly, Kyuubi nodded his head. And when the blonde held out a hand for the child to take, Kyuubi did, smiling.

**C.M.D: So, there you have it! A piece of the puzzle is revealed! Satisfied? I hope so. It took quite a lot of sudden inspiration to come up with this little plot twist. Well, there's still a lot more to come, so I doubt that I'm any where near the end of this fanfic... though I think I can safely say I'm about the halfway point now. Alright, so that's all for this time. Remember to REVIEW everyone! And I'll see you guys next update! Ja ne!  
Aplastic Anemia is like Leukemia in a sense, as it originates from the bone marrow, but it affects not only white blood cells, but the red ones and platelets by lowering them to a dangerous amount. In patients, it shows itself through tired or weakness, shortness of breath, paleness, frequent or severe infections, easy bruising, along with easy bleeding or bleeding that is hard to stop. It can be inherited or be received through large doses of radiation, chemicals or viruses. It's fairly rare, and only affects about 1000 out of a million people in a year. You can do one of several treatments. Growth factors: drug that makes the body make more blood cells. Usually doesn't work, until after immunosuppressive therapy. Blood transfusions: are good for managing the disease's symptoms. Doctors don't use it often though, because the risk of infection is high. Immunosuppressive therapy: lowering the body's immune system to get the body to balance out the diseased bone marrow, and have it create more blood cells. Works quite well, but needs to be done every so often, and is treated more like a temporary solution. Bone marrow transplant: bringing in matching bone marrow to replace the diseased. Chemo is needed before hand, and the patient needs to be of a healthy enough condition to proceed. A more permanent solution. Growth factors can be added to increase the recovery process.**


End file.
